Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has revealed he chose Pep Guardiola over former manager Jurgen Klopp upon moving to England from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2016.

Gundogan signed on with City for £24.3 million that summer after spending five successful seasons at the Westfalenstadion, where he won a Bundesliga title, a German Cup and reached a Champions League final under the guidance of Klopp.

But when it came time move on, Gundogan said Guardiola's inistence on signing him, despite having picked up a serious injury at the time, trumped the chance to join his former coach at Anfield.

"I spoke with Jurgen about different things," Gundogan told outlets in the UK on Friday. "He always liked me as a player and I would be a liar if I said he didn't try. But when I had the opportunity to join City and work with Pep, it was quite clear that I wanted to come here.

"When I was a little bit down because of my injury, he was quite sure he was still going to try to buy me. That showed me it could never be the wrong decision to join this club. They are both great managers, great characters and very ambitious. I've been lucky."

Gundogan's current club sit well atop the Premier League table -- 15 points clear of second-placed Manchester United -- but face a tricky match at fourth-placed Liverpool on Sunday.

City haven't beaten Liverpool at Anfield since the Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008, and haven't won at Anfield for 15 years overall. But the Germany international believes that history presents an exciting opportunity for his team this weekend.

"It could be a big moment for us," Gundogan said. "Anfield is one of the hardest stages in the world and on good days Liverpool are able to beat any team in the world.

Ilkay Gundogan said Pep Guardiola's faith in him was key in his decision to sign with Manchester City. Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

"It's more exciting for everyone when you have two top teams who try to attack and try to create chances.

"I can imagine it's not attractive for the spectators when we play teams with 10 players around their own box, just defending and hoping for a set-piece or throw-in, anything.

"We need to be ready to show the same spirit as we did away at Chelsea and Manchester United. We have beaten all the big teams until now and we want to continue on Sunday."

City are undefeated in the league this campaign this far, and are looking to become the first team since Arsene Wenger's 2004 Arsenal side to complete a Premier League season without a loss.

Guardiola's men are also on pace to win an historic Quadruple of titles in 2017-18. Asked if winning four trophies was feasible, Gundogan took a cautious approach.

"It's difficult," he said.

"If I said yes now I would disagree with the manager, and that wouldn't be so smart! We have a lot of games to go, and a lot of hurdles to take, but everything is possible."

On emulating Arsenal, Gundogan added: "We are in a comfortable situation and enjoy being on top.

"Having that gap also gives us confidence. This season is special as we are winning and winning and winning. We will try to go all the way. Maybe we will lose one day and maybe we won't.

"We always feel safe. In games where we don't score many goals, we still feel quite sure we won't concede much. And in games where we concede one or two, we feel we can score a lot more.

"At this point, it just fits automatically. It's just there. We don't think about it much. On the field, everyone knows exactly what we need to do. Sometimes it's strange.

"I have never felt at any time this season there is a safe first XI, just players who play more and some who play less.

"There is even more potential in this team. We didn't play badly last season but it was more up and down. This season, we are just on a wave and it's very hard to get us off this wave."

Gundogan provided two assists in City's FA Cup third-round defeat of Burnley last week, and played the full 90 minutes in their narrow FA Cup semifinal first-leg win against Bristol City as he continues to regain form that has been hindered by serious injuries over the past two years.

He said that while he'll never be the same player he was before the setbacks, that doesn't mean he's lost any quality or effectiveness.

"I can see the finish line to my old form," he said. "That feels more important to me than assisting or scoring. Obviously my knee doesn't feel like that of a 20-year-old who is at the beginning of his professional career.

"I need to do things to take care of it. Having treatment every day, and my routines before and after games.

"I remember when I was at Dortmund, I would go outside and kick the ball into the goal straight away, taking free kicks or something.

"When I see the young players doing that, I think, 'Oh my God, no!' I won't do it now, and maybe I couldn't even do that. I'm quite sure that I will never be the same player again that I was. But that doesn't mean I will be weaker or not of the same quality. Just a different player.

"Honestly, I don't even regret it. I just think that these kind of things happen in football and life.

"I try to see it as an experience that I accept and take with me."