The Etihad Stadium will serve as the stage for another pivotal Premier League encounter this Sunday, as Liverpool travel to Manchester to face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in what promises to be a tightly contested affair.
Both sides remain firmly in contention for the domestic crown, with Arne Slot’s men recovering from their early-season dip in form at just the right time.
On City’s part, Pep Guardiola’s side were without Rodri for Wednesday night’s Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund.
The Spaniard returned to action at the weekend, coming off the bench in the 3-1 victory over Bournemouth after missing four matches across all competitions either side of the October international break.
However, he was once again unavailable for selection as City welcomed Dortmund to the Etihad Stadium.
Meanwhile, another midfielder in Mateo Kovacic won’t be playing as he continues to recover from an ankle injury.
And now it’s been reported by the Daily Mail that Manchester City boss will reach his 1000th competitive match as a manager against Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, triggering his induction into the League Managers Association Hall of Fame 1000 club.
It represents a remarkable achievement spanning nearly two decades, beginning with his appointment to Barcelona B’s dugout in 2007 and encompassing stints at Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City.
Throughout those 999 matches to date, Guardiola has accumulated an astonishing 37 major trophies, including the historic Treble at City in 2023.
The LMA (League Managers Association) recognition places Guardiola in rarefied company indeed. He becomes only the 39th post-war manager to achieve this distinction, a list that reads like a compendium of football’s greatest minds.
Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Matt Busby, and Brian Clough all feature among those honoured with the same accolade.
More recently, Liverpool’s own Jurgen Klopp – Guardiola’s longtime rival in the Bundesliga as well as the Premier League – was inducted into the 1000 club upon reaching that milestone in May 2025.
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