FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 - Second Leg - Manchester City v FC Copenhagen - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - March 6, 2024 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff/File Photo
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola refused to respond to comments from Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of Sunday's top-of-the-table clash that trophies mean more to the Merseyside team than they do to City.
"I wish him a speedy recovery and can come back to the pitch as soon as possible," Guardiola said twice, when asked about the injured player's comment.
The winner on Sunday at Anfield will move top of the Premier League standings, although a draw would leave the door open for Arsenal to get ahead in the title race.
League leaders Liverpool are a point ahead of City on 63 and would love to prevent Guardiola's team from repeating as champions. Arsenal, who host Brentford on Saturday, are third on 61.
In an interview with FourFourTwo published this week, Alexander-Arnold stoked the fires of the rivalry saying "winning trophies means more" to Liverpool and their fans because of City's greater financial resources.
However, City striker Erling Haaland fired back, telling Sky Sports: "I've been here one year and won the treble (as league, FA Cup and Champions League winners) and it was quite a nice feeling, I do not think he knows exactly this feeling."
City's vice-captain Ruben Dias also waded into the row. "We've won a lot in this club, especially last year with the treble. I think it's pretty certain between us, between our fans, how much it meant to all of us," he told BBC Radio.
City have won five of the last six Premier League titles, beating Liverpool by a single point during two of those years. Liverpool won the league in the 2019-20 season, their first English league title in 30 years.
Guardiola and Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp, who is leaving the club at the end of the season, face off for the 30th time on Sunday, but the Spaniard does not believe it will be the last.
"I don't think so," Guardiola said. "We can play in the FA Cup and the future... nobody knows. He's young, I'm young, so I don't know."
Guardiola said he was looking forward to what's sure to be a heated clash at Anfield.
"Always was a pleasure and it will be (Sunday) too, so we can do no better than try to win the game," he added.
The manager sidestepped questions on the fitness of Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes, saying their status will clearer when the team trains on Saturday.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
