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The size of the challenge facing Liverpool is immense. The size of the occasion is mouthwatering.

It’s Jurgen Klopp v Pep Guardiola. It’s Mohamed Salah v Kevin de Bruyne. The world will be watching.

Manchester City stand between the Reds and their first Champions League semi-final for a decade.

Guardiola’s side are on the brink of sealing the Premier League crown and are the bookies’ favourite to clinch European glory too.

After Liverpool dug deep to grind out a scrappy win at Crystal Palace on Saturday, City delivered an attacking masterclass across Stanley Park to rout Everton.

This is two teams separated by an eye-watering 18 points in the Premier League table, but there should be no fear, no inferiority complex when Liverpool walk out at Anfield for Wednesday night’s first leg.

City are special but they are not infallible. Liverpool have proved that once this season and they can do it again. But for the Reds to march on towards Kiev they will need Klopp, his players and their army of supporters to perform at their peak...

The Klopp factor

“I don’t think City thought the best draw they could have got is Liverpool. That’s a sign for us and how strong we can be,” said the Reds boss after discovering their quarter-final opponent.

He’s right. The Reds didn’t want City but the feeling was mutual.

Guardiola has lost five matches against Klopp in his career, more than against any other manager. The German coach has shown that it’s possible to negate City’s threat and prey on their weaknesses.

(Image: OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images)

Liverpool beat City 1-0 at Anfield last season courtesy of Gini Wijnaldum’s goal and were good value for their point at the Etihad in a 1-1 draw when Sergio Aguero cancelled out James Milner’s penalty.

The 5-0 rout the Reds suffered at the Etihad last September was humiliating but the game turned on Sadio Mane’s red card. For the opening half hour Liverpool had been the better side.

They avenged that setback in style in January with a thrilling 4-3 victory at Anfield to wreck Guardiola’s hopes of going the entire Premier League campaign unbeaten. The final scoreline flattered City with Liverpool 4-1 up and dominant before slacking off late on.

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Klopp’s gameplan worked a treat. Liverpool only had 36% possession but they were devastating on the counter-attack. During a stunning nine-minute burst in the second half they struck three times through Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.

Liverpool’s show of intensity, skill, courage and desire forced mistakes which they ruthlessly capitalised on. “Full throttle,” was Klopp’s apt description. The message will surely be: same again.

The atmosphere

How Kopites have missed nights like this. Not since Chelsea arrived for a quarter-final nine years ago has Anfield hosted a European occasion as significant as this.

The visits of Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund and Villarreal were special in 2016 but that was the Europa League. This is Liverpool back where they belong among the elite.

Guardiola bemoaned how the electric atmosphere unsettled his players in the Premier League contest three months ago.

“We lost a lot of balls because they are so aggressive without the ball and we had problems controlling that. We lost a bit of control. We were involved in the environment of Anfield,” he said.

Guardiola, who was part of the Barcelona side beaten in the 2001 UEFA Cup semi-final by Liverpool, might need to dish out ear plugs to his players because the decibel levels will be cranked up considerably on Wednesday night.

Former Reds striker and ECHO columnist John Aldridge said: “We have to make the first leg count. I’ve been lucky enough to experience some very special European nights at Anfield over the years where the place is rocking and we have to add Man City to the list.

“Some of their players will shake when they feel the atmosphere we create. They won’t have heard anything quite like it.”

Man City, who have lost their last five visits to Anfield and haven’t won there since 2003, have the benefit of home advantage for the second leg a week on Tuesday but the Etihad will feel like a library in comparison.

The hope is that the passion and the energy from the stands will inspire Liverpool as they look to write another memorable chapter in the club’s glorious European history.

The key men

Much of the focus in the build up will be on Salah and De Bruyne. They have been the two outstanding performers in the top-flight this season and are battling it out for the Player of the Year prize.

However, it’s Firmino who surely holds the key to Liverpool inflicting enough damage in the final third to go through over the two legs. There’s something about the sight of those light blue shirts which seems to bring out the best in the Brazilian attacker.

Firmino scored his first goal for the Reds in the 4-1 thrashing of City at the Etihad in November 2015 and he’s been a thorn in their side ever since. Klopp refers to him as “the engine” of his team and it’s Firmino who sets the tone with his relentless pressing.

City’s unwavering commitment to play it out from the back is perfect for him to wreak havoc. When the clubs met in January, he expertly outmuscled John Stones before coolly dinking the ball over Ederson.

Guardiola’s high defensive line means that the pace and flair of Salah and Mane will also be huge weapons as the Reds look to seize the initiative.

At the other end concentration and discipline will be crucial as Liverpool look to deal with City’s array of firepower. They can’t afford to nod off like they did in the 4-3 win. Back then they were without Virgil van Dijk due to a tight hamstring and they will need his leadership back there.

Andy Robertson will be tasked with ensuring it’s another miserable Anfield return for Raheem Sterling, while on the other flank Liverpool will have to try to stifle the impressive Leroy Sane.

(Image: OLI SCARFF/AFP/Getty Images)

Emre Can shone in midfield against City last time and Klopp will be desperately hoping he wins his race to recover from a back problem. There must also be a temptation to start Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after the problems he caused Guardiola’s side.

“It’s interesting to play against City,” Klopp said.

“If you don’t respect them, you have a problem. But if you aren’t brave with the things you do, you have another problem. If you just try to react to what they do you will lose.

“The biggest strength of Manchester City is their tactical discipline. But the good thing is that it’s not completely unpredictable. The positions are clear. The only problem is they have world class players in each of those positions.”

Klopp knows what’s required. If Liverpoo hold their nerve and carry out the game plan, this is a hurdle they can clear.