Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, has admitted he is driven by a burning ambition to knock Manchester City counterpart, Pep Guardiola, off his perch.

Ahead of Sunday’s highly-anticipated clash, Klopp called Guardiola the “best in the world”.

But he qualified his praise by insisting: “I always wanted to be the coach of the team who can beat the best team in the world.”

Klopp said: “What I say about City, I really mean.

Pep is the best coach in the world – no problem with that – but I always wanted to be the coach of the team who can beat the best team in the world.

And actually I achieved that as well, somehow – and now we have to make sure Sunday is the day. There is a little bit of work to do but we have time and nothing else to do, so let’s give it a try.”

Liverpool go into the match at the Etihad in second place and just one point behind City.