Jurgen Klopp has explained how Liverpool can surprise Manchester City in their FA Cup semi-final this weekend - and warned of the "decisive challenges" his team must win.
The Reds take on City at Wembley on Saturday afternoon less than a week after the teams fought out a thrilling 2-2 Premier League draw at the Etihad.
Klopp's side were second best for significant periods of the game but came from behind twice to remain just a point adrift of the leaders with seven games remaining and keep alive hopes of an unprecedented quadruple.
And the Reds boss is convinced his players can deliver a much-improved display as they aim to reach a first FA Cup final in a decade.
“We all think a lot about these games (against City), we have to," said Klopp. "I think City was really strong last week and we were not at our best, so I would like to see a game where we are at our best as well.
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"That would be interesting! Let’s give it a try. Maybe that would be a surprise, all of a sudden we are good.
“The boys did a lot of good stuff in the game but I really think in a couple of positions we are able to perform on a completely different level and I think we should give that a try. And it’s a cup game, a one-off, if it’s 2-2 again, it’s 120 minutes and if it stays like that it’s penalties and that would be really crazy if it goes all the way.
"I’m really looking forward to the game. Wembley is a big pitch, we have to cover a lot of grass and run a lot and close big gaps, but I think it will be cool. Both teams will use the last game for their analysis and we will see who uses it better."
Liverpool haven't beaten City since November 2019, although Klopp still holds a slight edge in meetings between the sides since Guardiola took control at the Etihad in 2016 with five wins to four and six draws.
And asked what he had noted over that period, the Reds boss said on Thursday: “Over the years you notice changes. We had some decent counter-attacks in the past and then Pep decided full-backs couldn’t go past the halfway line. We did similar things, we try to deny them as well, sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. We know about the quality of City and we don’t have to mention it all the time.
"There are decisive challenges in a game and you better win them otherwise they are in a really good position. We lost a couple of easy balls in the City game a few days ago and what they made of it was spectacular, like the counter in the first minute when Ali made a great save from Sterling. It’s just good football, but the goals we scored were really, really good situations as well."
Klopp added: "It’s a really intense fight on a really high level. The concentration level that all the boys have to bring on to the pitch is insane. It’s similar to the Chelsea final, we had 120 minutes and it was unbelievable how intense it was, and on top of that it was still a good game.
"When tactical things match each other, from time to time, it’s like tactically really interesting but for the neutral horribly boring. That happens rarely in games between City and Liverpool and that’s good for all the fans who watch."
