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MANCHESTER. – Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola fears the dramatic collapse in the local derby could weigh on his players’ minds as they seek to overturn a 3-0 deficit against Liverpool in tonight’s Champions League soccer quarter-final second leg tie.
The match kicks-off at 8:45pm.
Guardiola is also worried about Manchester City’s mental fragility ahead of tonight’s Champions League re-match with Liverpool.
And Guardiola admits his side need to produce a perfect performance against Liverpool tonight.
Guardiola accepts City will have to find a delicate balance between defence and attack against Liverpool and only a perfect performance will be enough to see them progress to the semi finals.
“To go through we have to have the perfect game. Create a lot of chances and be clinical when you create those chances. Concede few chances. Defend well with our goalkeeper making saves,” Guardiola said.
“All the conditions have to be almost perfect for us to go through because the first result was tough. We have 90 minutes and we know anything can happen.
“Of course we have to score the first one and then the second, we’ll see. The momentum when we are in the Champions League, we have to try to make it last longer.”
But the City manager admits his devastated stars could be haunted by their capitulation in the Manchester derby as they bid to retrieve a 3-0 first leg deficit from the first leg at Anfield. – Reuters.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter