Pep will watch Liverpool vs United but is only focused on City

Pep Guardiola will be an interested spectator when Liverpool host Manchester United on Tuesday, but he made it clear Manchester City’s mission will not change regardless of the result.

United could do their neighbours a favour at Anfield in a fixture Liverpool approach just one point adrift of Premier League leaders City, whom the Reds beat 3-2 in the FA Cup semi-final last Saturday.

A draw or a defeat for the Reds would give City the chance to gain some extra breathing room at the summit when they face Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday.

However, Guardiola knows a slip-up for Liverpool will only change things if City continue to do their job.

Speaking at a pre-match media conference, Guardiola said of the Liverpool-United clash: “We watch it as a fan. I watch at home, I want to know the result, would love United to get points but it won’t change if we don’t do our jobs in the next games. We can learn something for both teams.

“The challenge is the same as the last two weeks, the same, one point ahead. Every game a final, challenge and fight until the end.”

Kyle Walker will play no part against Brighton after suffering an ankle injury in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid. Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan also sustained minor injuries in that clash last week, with their availability for the Brighton meeting yet to be determined.

Central defender Ruben Dias, meanwhile, is back in training after seven weeks out with a hamstring injury, and was an unused substitute at Wembley on Saturday.

“Kyle no. The other players are better, we will make a decision tomorrow,” added Guardiola.

“Kyle we don’t know yet [how long he will be out]. It’s his ankle. He can’t play tomorrow but the rest we don’t know.

“Ruben is training really good, but we cannot forget he had seven weeks off and has not played one minute.

“Ruben is intelligent. He is a guy who knows his body.

“We are more than delighted he is back. Nathan Ake has made [an] incredible contribution. John Stones and Aymeric Laporte have played a lot of minutes, especially Aymer.

“It’s good to have three or four central defenders.”