Paul Dickov believes Sunday’s blockbuster Premier League assignment away to Liverpool offers Manchester City the perfect platform to help inspire a return to form.
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City players are desperate to win – Guardiola
Pep Guardiola’s side will make the trip to Anfield on the back of a disappointing run of results.
A run of five consecutive defeats was then followed by Tuesday night’s dramatic 3-3 Champions League draw at home Feyenoord which saw the Dutch side come back from 3-0 down on 75 minutes to claim an unlikely point.
While it has proved a tough past month for the reigning champions, Liverpool are on a run of impressive form having won 13 of their last 14 games in all competitions.
That contrasting sequence of results means Arne Slot’s side will kick-off at the weekend holding an eight-point advantage on second placed City at the top of the table.
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But though not underestimating the size of the task in hand, for former City and Scotland striker Paul Dickov, Sunday’s assignment also offers the reigning champions a fitting stage to regroup and remind everyone of the quality and character that has set us apart over the past few seasons.
“What a great game to go into now after the disappointment - we can really roll our sleeves up and show everyone what we are about,” special guest Dickov declared on the latest edition of Matchday Live.
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“Look, they are top players and top professionals at the very top of their game.
“And I think Sunday is a great game for us - I really do.
“After the five defeats and the Feyenoord draw, I know a lot of people will be looking at that game and thinking Liverpool will beat City.
“So as a group of players you have got to use that adversity to your advantage.
“You have to adopt a siege mentality, knowing some people think we are going to get beat here so let’s go and show them what we are all about.
“Yes, it’s going to be tough. It always is at Anfield.
“Liverpool are on a great run of results but some of their performances haven’t been that great and they have lost at home already this season.
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“So, as much as they will be looking at our team and thinking how they can get at us, I’m sure Pep and the coaches and the players will be looking at how they are playing at the minute and how we can hurt them.
“And this squad of players are more than capable of going there and winning on Sunday.
“There are enough leaders there with enough experience and there is enough quality in the whole squad to be able to get through it.
“Sometimes when you go through stages like this it can work in your favour.
“When everyone is against you, you really need to dig in deep and then that’s when you see the real Man City.”
Dickov’s assertion about the key role of strong characters in the squad was echoed by fellow Matchday Live special guest Steve Howey.
“In the face of adversity leaders are born,” the former City, Newcastle and England central defender pointed out.
“You might get two or three lads who you thought would not be main strong characters coming through.
“And that is better [in the long run] as they possibly wouldn’t have come through if everything was rosy in the garden.”