Pepijn Lijnders will be the man in the dugout for Man City when they host Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals, in another twist in his post-Anfield career.
Lijnders returned to the Premier League in the summer to become Pep Guardiola’s assistant manager, following a failed stint as head coach at Red Bull Salzburg.
His move to Man City came after claims he would “assist Jurgen and Jurgen only,” with Jurgen Klopp‘s resignation at Liverpool seeing him seek a leading role.
But though back as a No. 2 after Klopp urged him to take the job supporting Guardiola, Lijnders now finds himself in the position of leading the opposition against his former club next month.
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola during the Premier League match at St James' Park, Newcastle. Picture date: Saturday November 22, 2025.
Lijnders will manage Man City in place of Guardiola after the Spaniard was booked for the sixth time this season during his side’s 3-1 win over Newcastle in the FA Cup fifth round last weekend.
He is therefore suspended for two games: the Premier League clash with West Ham on March 14 and the FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool on April 4/5.
The ban will skip the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal on March 22 – the domestic fixture which falls between the aforementioned dates – as yellow-card suspensions do not apply to finals.
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What Pepijn Lijnders said about joining Man City
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - Thursday, September 18, 2025: Manchester City's assistant manager Pepijn Lijnders during the UEFA Champions League match between Manchester City FC and SC Napoli at the City of Manchester Stadium. Man City won 2-0. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Lijnders courted controversy for joining one of Liverpool’s biggest rivals after vowing never to assist another manager after Klopp.
Speaking to reporters in January, ahead of Man City‘s 2-1 win at Anfield in the Premier League, the 43-year-old attempted to explain his decision and why Klopp pushed him to take the job.
“The moment Pep called, and the feeling he gave me about what he wanted to do with the team by bringing me in, the trust he already had before we discussed how it would look – that made the decision much easier,” Lijnders said.
“But you cannot put away 10 years of Liverpool that easily. But I’m really proud to come to a club of this magnitude, so successful over the last 10 years and with a manager that defined football.
“When I spoke with Jurgen he was so clear: ‘If you don’t do it, I will take the assistant job!’.
“When I go to Anfield it will be special, maybe more special for my family than me. But my mindset is to win and to try to beat them.”