By[Andrew Wright](https://www.tntsports.co.uk/andrew-wright_aut20000265/author.shtml)
Published 10/06/2025 at 13:10 GMT+1
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Manchester City have hired former Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders to work under Pep Guardiola as the club seeks to bounce back from a disappointing 2024/25 season.
Lijnders was Jurgen Klopp’s assistant at Anfield and will replace Juanma Lilo in the City dugout.
A strong finish to the domestic campaign saw City salvage a third-place finish but Guardiola’s side ended the season 13 points behind Premier League champions Liverpool.
They also exited the UEFA Champions League in the knockout play-off round, losing to Real Madrid, and were beaten by Crystal Palace in last month's FA Cup final.
And the addition of Lijnders and former Liverpool set-piece coach James French will also be expected to have a positive impact.
"Pepijn and James have each amassed huge experience working in their individual roles over the past few years.
"Their talent, application, work ethic and all-round commitment are totally aligned with the values that underpin how Pep wants football to be played.
"And I have no doubt at all that both will prove to be very important assets for Pep and his coaching team as we prepare for the Club World Cup and then the 2025/26 season."
Lijnders joined The Reds in 2014 when Brendan Rodgers was at the helm and worked under Klopp when the German arrived at Anfield the following year.
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He was part of Klopp’s staff when Liverpool won the Champions League in 2019 and also when the club lifted the 2019/20 Premier League title.
The 42-year-old left Liverpool when Klopp did last year and took charge of Red Bull Salzburg before the 2024/25 season, but was dismissed in December.
As for French, he arrived at Liverpool in 2012 and spent more than a decade with the club as an opposition analyst.
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