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Pep Guardiola, head coach of Manchester City, speaks with Pep Lijnders, assistant coach of Manchester City, during a training session(Image: 2025 James Gill - Danehouse)

Pep Guardiola has revealed it took just one phone call to convince former Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders to join Man City.

The Dutchman left the Reds last year, standing down from his role alongside Jurgen Klopp at the end of the 2023/24 season after a trophy-laden six years at Anfield.

Lijnders was announced as the new Red Bull Salzburg manager in May 2024, officially taking up the role in July, but was dismissed the following December having won only 13 of his 29 games in charge.

During his time at Anfield, the 42-year-old was adamant that he would only be interested in his own managerial opportunities after leaving Liverpool and that he would not serve as an assistant again after leaving Klopp’s side.

Consequently, it was something of a surprise when he joined the Reds’ fierce title-rivals, Man City as Guardiola’s new assistant earlier this summer.

While it is still early days in their working relationship, the City boss has already been impressed by his new number two as he opened up on his decision to appoint Lijnders.

“I know he was with Jurgen [Klopp] for many, many years,” Guardiola told Sky Sports’ One on One Podcast.

“And I thought, ‘Okay, if he was with many, many years with Jurgen, this guy must be good!’

“After (that) he has of course been at Salzburg and has experience as a manager.

“We talked just one day and I said I would to (work) with you… sometimes decisions come from the feelings.

“I knew Liverpool played outstanding the decade we have been together.

Let’s go together.’ That’s the way it was.”

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has already noted Lijnders’ impact on Man City when analysing their victory over Wolves.

“Pep Lijnders is a big coach, big influence on Jurgen Klopp and I did see little instance of that Liverpool team,” Carragher said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football.

It made me think how much influence is maybe the new coach having on this team…

"The amount of counter-attacking goals that Liverpool team would score with [Sadio] Mane and [Mohamed] Salah, breaking forward.

Now we don't know exactly what that's for, but I don't think it's a coincidence with some of the things that I saw in the game that he, as a coach, is having a big influence on Pep Guardiola."


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