Pep Guardiola reckons his Manchester City side will face their “biggest test” of the season at Liverpool on Sunday.
Despite Liverpool's poor start to the season, Guardiola believes Jurgen Klopp's side, who have been City's main title rivals in recent years, remain the ultimate test.
City are away to Copenhagen in the Champions League on Monday, before travelling to Anfield, then have six days off before hosting Brighton in the Premier League.
“Always after games I’m really tired,” said Guardiola. “I want to rest with the family after these three games.
“I think about Copenhagen, as I want to finish first in the group, and we have to win there.
“We have to finish qualification and meet the first target of this part of the season - we want to be there in the last 16.
“After that, we have four days to prepare for Anfield, and it won’t be any surprise to tell you how fascinating, difficult and competitive that will be.
“The biggest test, I would say, we can face in England is going to happen next Sunday.”
City have been afforded a six-day break after the Liverpool game following the postponement of their Premier League clash with Arsenal on October 19.
Arsenal's Europa League clash with PSV Eindhoven, postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, has been rescheduled for October 20.
That means an alternative date for the league clash between Arsenal and City, at the Emirates Stadium, must still be found.
Meanwhile, while Erling Haaland has been a revelation on the pitch with his record-breaking goalscoring exploits for Manchester City, off it he has been equally effective after playing the role of middleman in his former Borussia Dortmund team-mate Manuel Akanji's move to the club.
Akanji was one of City's least high-profile summer signings, arriving on transfer deadline day, ostensibly as defensive cover for the Premier League champions.
But the Swiss defender, described as “a gift” by Guardiola, has emerged as a key player, with injuries thrusting him into the starting line-up on a regular basis.
After another impressive display in City's comfortable win over Southampton, Akanji revealed Haaland's role in his move to City, giving Guardiola the lowdown on him before the club signed him for £15million.
“Erling texted me,” said Akanji. “Then my agents talked with the club.
“Erling said that they had asked him about me. I think they had already made their plans, but just wanted some more information, so asked Erling.
“I don’t know what he said – hopefully just good words!”
Akanji showed his versatility here, starting the game at centre-back, then switching to right-back for the final 20 minutes, adapting seamlessly to the positional change.
With Kyle Walker out following groin surgery, John Stones also sidelined and Aymeric Laporte still not fully fit after a knee operation, Akanji has become a vital player for City.
Akanji has started City's last three league games, and while Haaland – who reached 20 goals for the season here - has taken all the plaudits, Guardiola singled out his other summer arrival from Dortmund.
Asked about Akanji's ability to switch from centre-back to right-back in the win over Saints, Guardiola said: “He did it perfectly. It’s a gift for a manager, a gift.
“There are some players you have to explain it to 10 times.
“A player has to train 10 times there to do what you are thinking, what you want him to do. This guy? We did just one training session. Just tell him – and he got it.
“The movement you have to do as a full-back, the high pressing, he didn’t do it once, but he did it perfectly. With the ball he’s a magnificent player.
“He had to go up the pitch, pressing, come back to defend the crosses at the far post and he didn’t miss once - absolutely perfect.
“Manu has made a huge impact since he arrived and the club made an incredible decision with him.”
Akanji is comfortable at right-back, a position he may find himself occupying for City's trip to Liverpool on Sunday, given their defensive absentees.
“At every club there have been some games I played at right-back,” said Akanji.
“My best position is still at centre-back, but when the team needs me on the right, I'm there.
“We built up with three at the back for most of the time, so I didn’t stay wide.
“It was basically what I do as a centre-back, so it made it pretty normal for me.
“My goal is to play in every game and I want to make the coach’s decision as hard as possible.”
Goals from Joao Cancelo, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Haaland continued City's unbeaten start to the new season, making it six wins in a row in all competitions.
