Richards: Klopp and Guardiola drive each other on to be better managers.

Despite their current struggles it is Liverpool who remain the team that worries Pep Guardiola more than any other according to Micah Richards.

Liverpool and Man City has become the pre-eminent fixture on the Premier League calendar, much like what Man United and Arsenal was in the late 90s and early 2000s.

You are always bound to get a mixture of terrific football, drama and talking points thrown in after the 90 minutes of action.

During the current tenures of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, they each have recorded hallmark victories which have gone a long way to securing honours at the end of the season.

The clash at Anfield on Sunday afternoon will be the 21st time they have met in a competitive fixture during their managerial careers in Germany and England.

The German edges the head to head record nine wins to eight with three draws across all competitions. In terms of the the Premier League, you cannot separate the two, with each manager recording three wins, three defeats and three draws.

Usually the home team enjoys the better of it but with no fans in stadiums that changes things massively and City will not have a better opportunity to finally end their Anfield hoodoo. They go into the game as favourites with the bookies which is hardly surprising considering the respective form of both teams.

City are on a 13 game winning run in all competitions whilst Klopp's men have been wildly erratic and haven't won at home since December. If you apply the principles of betting it's difficult to see past the league leaders extending their advantage at the top and all but ending any hopes Liverpool have or retaining their title, but perhaps a clash with City is what Liverpool need to get their juices flowing again?

Richards who made 176 appearances for the Citizens across 10 seasons says despite being acclaimed as the best manager in World Football by some, Guardiola would desperately want to get one over the German and look on in envy at some of his achievements.

The Echo reported the former England international as saying:

“What Klopp has done – Champions League final, Champions League winner and a Premier League – has been absolutely incredible,"

"Of course everyone has always been talking about Pep from his Barcelona days. But he hasn’t won the Champions League for, what, 10 years? And then Klopp comes to Liverpool and within his five-year spell he’s won the Champions League.

"It’s going to get under your skin, no matter if you admit it or not. Because that’s part of the rivalry. They respect each other and they drive each other to be better managers."

Anfield has been the location of many miserable memories for over a decade and a half and Guardiola is indeed searching for his first win at the ground as a player and manager.

Richards says the impact of no fans being at the ground has undoubtedly had a major impact on Liverpool’s title defence.

“When there are fans at Anfield, it is the hardest place to go - fact.

“When you’re in the tunnel and all the players are slapping the ‘This is Anfield’ sign, and you go out and the fans are singing their hearts out and the game hasn’t even kicked off, it feels like you’re about to go to war. It’s incredible.

“When people say having no fans there doesn’t matter, of course it matters. Anfield would be bouncing on Sunday if they were there.

“In some cases, I believe it has been a disadvantage for Liverpool there being no fans there.

“Going there is always tough with fans. No disrespect to Burnley and Brighton, if fans were there – and this isn’t me discrediting those teams – when it gets to 60 or 70 minutes and Liverpool are behind, they could get a draw or nick a win easily."

Former Reds captain Jamie Redknapp concurred and says it is something that Klopp identified early in his tenure.

"Klopp was ridiculed after the West Brom game earlier in his time at Liverpool when he and the team stood in front of the Kop because they’d got a late draw.

“People were wondering what he was doing that for. But he was trying to tap into that belief that whatever happens, the crowd are going to be there until the last second of that game, willing it in for you. Now Liverpool have lost that."

“Then there are the injuries. All these little things have conspired against Liverpool. I’m not making excuses for them, I’m just being totally honest. It hasn’t been the easiest season for them.

“People are saying Liverpool have lost their long unbeaten run at Anfield but this isn't Anfield. This is a pitch with four empty stands around it."