Pep Guardiola says “nobody trusts” Manchester City as his side prepares to face Premier League leaders Liverpool.
City are seven points behind Jurgen Klopp’s unbeaten side after losing two matches before defeating Southampton.
Guardiola feels those losses have undermined confidence in City, who could have Kevin de Bruyne back after he trained following a muscle strain.
The Spaniard said: “I know today nobody trusts us. Everyone is talking about ‘if we lose’ – but we can win.”
City have failed to win any of their last four meetings with Liverpool, who – in contrast to the champions’ indifferent recent form – have won their last nine Premier League games.
“At the moment they are the best team in Europe, in their consistency and the way they control the details in their game,” said Guardiola.
City collected a record number of points and scored a record number of goals on their way to last season’s title.
But despite their relative decline, Guardiola remains happy with how his side have performed this season and has no intention of making any signings in the January transfer window.
He said: “A lot of nice words are spoken when you make 100 points in a season. But after, it is how you come back – and we did it.
“I am delighted with my team. We have made a lot of points.
“We cannot expect to be 12 or 13 points in front at Christmas like last season. That has happened once in our lifetime, it happened last season.
“This is a new season and the opponent is so strong. For me, that is an immense and huge motivation.”
Even though City have won three Premier League titles in the past seven seasons and Liverpool have not won any since 1990, Guardiola feels the Reds’ history brings a demand for success that should not be attached to his own club, despite the net £1.1bn that has been spent since Shiekh Mansour’s takeover in 2008.
He said: “History is not 10 years. It is much longer. Anfield is Anfield. The history is there. The Champions Leagues are there. When their players put the shirt on, they know what they have to defend. We are trying to build that history.
“It is a question for Liverpool why they have not won it for so many years but I can feel what they feel. I understand it. It’s difficult to handle.”