Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk remains wary of the threat Manchester City post despite their recent drop in form handing the initiative in the Premier League to their title rivals.
City have lost three successive league games, as part of a six-match run of five defeats and a draw, and arrive at Anfield eight points behind their hosts.
An 18th win in 20 matches this season would put Arne Slot’s side 11 points clear of their opponents but Van Dijk said even in December that advantage would not be decisive.
“We are going to be in December on Sunday and there are still five months to go,” he said after the morale-boosting 2-0 Champions League victory over Real Madrid.
“Obviously they are not in the best form of their lives, I think injuries play a big part in that.
“We as a team have been in a situation like that with loads of injuries and it is never easy to then find consistency and the confidence.
“But I know, like everyone else who understands football and has seen Man City over the last few years, they can turn it around at any moment.
“Hopefully not on Sunday but we have to be at our best to get a result and that’s what we are aiming for.
“We want to win the game but we know what they are capable of and first and foremost we have to be ready for that challenge and whatever happens after that we have to keep going and stay calm.
“For a reason they won (the title) four times in a row. We have to be ready for a very difficult one at the weekend and we will be.”
In terms of being able to send a message about Liverpool’s title credentials to City and the rest of the chasing pack Van Dijk added: “We should not look at anyone but ourselves.
“As long as we are consistent, getting points on the board is all that matters. That is what we are focusing on.
“I want to make sure we as a team are winning games, finding ways to win the game, working our socks off and staying calm.”
Having kept one world-class forward in Kylian Mbappe quiet Liverpool’s defence have to do the same with another in Erling Haaland at the weekend.
“It is always good to be playing against the best, not only Kylian but Jude (Bellingham) was good as well and very difficult to handle at times,” said Van Dijk.
“At the weekend it will be the same, battles which are nice to see for the neutral.
“I am really looking forward to it and we will start focusing on it straight away and try to see how we are going to attack them in the right way to get a result because that’s what we want to achieve.”
