One of the things City have not done right this season is the way they plan to replace Rodri in the number six role.

Kovacic, Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gündogan all tried it.

“My gut feeling is that given their current form and Liverpool’s performance at the moment, City may need to show them some respect and try something different on Sunday,” Murphy said.

“If Ruben Dias was ready to start alongside maybe Nathan Ake, I would be tempted to play (defender) Manuel Akanji in that midfield position like John Stones did before.”

“I’m not sure Pep will do that but maybe his priority this time isn’t on how City create chances and score goals against this great Liverpool defense because he trusts his players to do that.”

“We should remember that they are serial winners and we are talking about a team with some of the best players in the world, but one of the key factors in their success at Anfield is that they are much better defensively than they have been recently.”

“It could be detrimental for City to go to Anfield with their usual system, where Rico Lewis plays at right-back and drifts into midfield, which would result in the back three pitting themselves against Liverpool’s front three.”

Murphy expects the visitors to field Kevin de Bruyne, who recently returned from injury, and one of Gündogan or Silva in the starting XI – as well as a more defensive player like Akanji or Lewis in midfield.

“I would be really surprised if he decided to play there alone against Gündogan and Silva, with Phil Foden back behind Erling Haaland,” said the former England midfielder.

“Although it’s great to believe in yourself, when you concede goals like City you have to play in the moment.”

Murphy said he “certainly didn’t want to suggest that City should wait and not believe in themselves” but suggested two options for Guardiola.

“Liverpool play a back three and they are very good – so City should play a back four (at the back). “City concede a lot of goals, so maybe their back four should focus on stopping Liverpool’s back three,” he added.

“And then Liverpool’s midfield is very good at the moment, so maybe City should use three midfielders who are suitable for this fight, rather than two midfielders and a striker.”