Pep Guardiola makes Liverpool admission after Arne Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp

Pep Guardiola has confessed that since Jurgen Klopp's departure, he finds himself tuning into Liverpool matches more frequently . The Manchester City manager had an intense rivalry with Klopp for eight years in the Premier League, where their high-stakes clashes often determined the fate of the title across four seasons.

They also competed fiercely in the Bundesliga when Guardiola led Bayern Munich and Klopp managed Borussia Dortmund, which allowed them to develop a deep understanding of each other's tactical approaches. But now, with Klopp out of the picture, Guardiola must adapt to Liverpool's new manager Arne Slot , and figure out how to counteract the Dutchman's strategies.

This will be tested first at Anfield on November 30, followed by a match at the Etihad in February. Guardiola explained to Sky Sports how Slot's arrival means he has to delve into research mode: "When I play a new club in the Champions League that I don't know, I see much more than playing against Arsenal, for example. Of course I want to watch Arsenal a lot, but Mikel has been there four or five years.

READ MORE: Arne Slot responds after Mohamed Salah agent speaks out on Liverpool future
READ MORE: Liverpool news and transfers LIVE: Arne Slot contract admission as Mohamed Salah agent speaks out

"And before with Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool . Now I have to watch more Liverpool because of Arne: I don't know exactly what they do. But with Jurgen, we knew each other better.

"When I was younger, I watched much, much more than now. Now I'm lazier. I think I watch well enough to understand what the opponents want to do. I try to choose the right footage to show my players, to convince them of what to do to try and beat them."

The buzz of the Guardiola-Klopp era clearly influenced the new head coach's decision to join the Reds. "I think for everyone who loves football it was a fantastic era to watch the both of them getting the best out of each other," Slot conveyed in June, captivated by their rivalry.

On choosing Liverpool, he reflected, "Liverpool came along and — like I just told you about the rivalry between City and Liverpool and the many games we as football fans saw — it wasn't a difficult choice to make."

Liverpool.com says: It will be a great match-up when Liverpool plays Manchester City, and the first proper test of exactly how good this Reds side is right now. Playing against a Guardiola team is the ultimate barometer of the progress that has been made.