Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield. This encounter has all the ingredients to be a real classic, as the Premier League's two highest scorers face off in what is the first ever European showdown between the clubs.

The Reds may trail their opponents by 18 points in the Premier League, but they remain the only side to have halted the city juggernaut in the top flight this term. January's 4-3 win here provided the perfect example of exactly what it requires to beat the Citizens, and now Jurgen Klopp will be hoping for more of the same. Fingers crossed that this one lives up to the hype!

LIVERPOOL TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Milner, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Mane, Firmino, Salah

SUBS: Mignolet, Clyne, Wijnaldum, Moreno, Ings, Solanke, Masterson

Starting with a look at the home team, Klopp has gone with the XI that many would have predicted. The big surprise comes on the bench, where young Irishman Conor Masterson is included as part of the 18-man squad due to the Reds' defensive crisis. Virgil van Dijk and Dejan Lovren link up in the heart of defence tonight, but Joel Matip is expected to miss the rest of the season and Ragnar Klavan is also absent.

Due to the absence of Emre Can in midfield, as well as Adam Lallana's latest layoff, Klopp has gone with an all-English three of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Jordan Henderson. That is a midfield that is a little short on attacking quality, particularly in comparison to City's, but they simply have to get the ball into the front three and let Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane do the rest.

Salah, Firmino and Mane have scored 19 Champions League goals between them this season, while Salah alone has 16 in his last 14 matches, most recently netting the winner against Crystal Palace late on. At full-back, meanwhile, Klopp has retained Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, despite Nathaniel Clyne working his way back to fitness to take up a spot on the bench. Two changes in all from last time - Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lovren in for Georginio Wijnaldum and Matip.

MANCHESTER CITY TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Ederson; Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Laporte; Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Sane; Jesus

SUBS: Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Sterling, Delph, Bernardo, Zinchenko

The Man City team news is a little more surprising, as Ilkay Gundogan has been brought into the team in place of Raheem Sterling. The England international, who scored 18 goals in 95 Premier League outings during his time at Liverpool, instead starts this one on the bench. Debate to be had over what formation the Citizens will go with due to that tweak; possibly still 4-3-3 or maybe a 4-5-1 with Gabriel Jesus leading the line.

Guardiola already knew that he would be without Sergio Aguero tonight, so Jesus was always favourite to get the nod through the middle. The only other big choice for the Catalan coach to make, then, comes in the backline - or more specifically at left-back. Benjamin Mendy and Fabian Delph have both been struggling with injury, albeit with the latter back on the bench tonight, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is still quite inexperienced.

Aymeric Laporte therefore retains his spot at left-back, which Guardiola will no doubt hope thwarts in-form Salah down that flank. Gundogan in for Sterling is the only change City make on the back of their 3-1 win over Everton on Saturday evening, and it will be interesting to see how they now shape up for this one. It is worth pointing out that a number of players are one booking away from incurring a one-match ban as Danilo, Gundogan, Fernandinho, Henderson and Moreno are all walking a tightrope.

Ilkay Gundogan is selected ahead of Raheem Sterling this evening in a surprise selection call from Pep Guardiola. That is not a slight on Gundogan by any means, as the German midfielder has stepped up whenever called upon this term, but dropping Sterling to the bench was not expected. That is the only change made by Manchester City from their last outing, while Dejan Lovren and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replace Joel Matip and Georginio Wijnaldum for Liverpool.

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PREVIOUS MEETINGS! These two sides take their rivalry onto the European stage tonight for their first ever meeting outside of domestic competitions. Liverpool have far more experience than Manchester City when it comes to taking on fellow English clubs, though, having done so on 10 previous occasions in UEFA competition, half of which have come in the Champions League knockout stages.

There is no doubt that Liverpool also boast the better European record - by a substantial distance, in fact - yet City have the more recent experience of making it this far in the competition. While Liverpool are into the quarter-finals for the first time since 2009, the Citizens made it one stage further a couple of years back in Manuel Pellegrini's final campaign at the helm.

Five-time Euro champs Liverpool are well off the pace at the top of the Prem, trailing City by 18 points, but they are on course to finish second and that will be considered an impressive campaign. The Reds have defeated tonight's opponents once already this term, of course, doing so with a memorable 4-3 win here a few months back to deny the Citizens a chance of becoming invincibles.

The blueprint that afternoon worked perfectly, as Klopp set out his team to fight fire with fire - they were 4-1 ahead after 68 minutes before almost completely capitulating. Seven goals in that game was not at all surprising, though, because they have a combined 163 between them in the Premier League alone this season, with City leading the way on 88 compared to Liverpool's 75.

Salah, Firmino and Mane, described as "almost unstoppable" by Guardiola earlier this week, have also found life easy going on the continent as they have six, seven and six goals respectively. Firmino also has three goals and four assists in seven previous meetings with the Citizens overall, finding himself on the losing side just twice across those encounters.

In an insightful interview with UEFA's official website this week, Klopp confessed that he feels 'partly responsible' for Liverpool's "dry spell". The Reds last lifted silverware in the 2012 League Cup and have since lost two finals under their German boss. The Reds have just one more chance to add silverware to their collection this season, coming in the Champions League, so it is fair to say that ending that trophy drought will be a major ask.

Liverpool look likely to finish third in the Premier League and will at the very least say that they reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League. Would that be a successful season? It depends on who you ask, of course, but it is worth remembering that the Reds last qualified for UEFA's showpiece competition in 2009 - Klopp has certainly not done a bad job, even if he is disappointed not to have won any silverware thus far.

Bar two defeats on the spin in late January, including an FA Cup fourth-round loss to West Bromwich Albion, Liverpool have been in fine form pretty much since going down 4-1 to Tottenham Hotspur on October 22. It is just six defeats in 45 matches in all competitions for the Merseyside outfit, and they have won six of their last eight in all competitions. Porto (0-0) and Man United (2-1) are the only sides to have stopped them over the past couple of months.

Liverpool's Champions League form had actually been pretty hit-and-miss for the majority of the group stage as, after beating Hoffenheim to qualify for the competition proper, they started with draws against Sevilla and Spartak Moscow. In fact, they only won half of their six group matches, though two of those were by a seven-goal margin. The Reds progressed through with 23 goals scored.

Five more goals were added to their tally in the first leg of their last-16 tie with Porto, as they lit up the Estadio de Dragao with a stellar display. It was a vintage Liverpool performance, with Sadio Mane netting four of the goals and Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino also joining the scoring. The Reds then simply had to see through the second leg with minimal fuss, which they managed to achieve with a goalless draw - job done!

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Liverpool are unbeaten at home in the Champions League this season and are without defeat here in 14 European matches since going down 3-0 to Real Madrid in 2014. The Reds also boast an impressive record here in all competitions this term, losing just one of 23 - at the hands of West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup fourth round - having scored in all but three of those. Overall, they have scored in 17 of their last 19 matches home and away.

The hosts certainly have plenty to be positive about heading into this match, then, but so to do Manchester City. The Citizens have a manager who knows what it takes to navigate beyond this stage, having twice lifted the famous trophy while at Barcelona, and in Guardiola they have one of the finest tacticians on the planet. It has to be remembered, though, that only once before have City made it this far.

It has been a hugely successful second campaign at the Etihad Stadium for Guardiola, with City being given a chance to add the Premier League trophy to the EFL Cup on Saturday evening when they take on Man United. That will be a real blockbuster tie, yet it lacks the jeopardy that tonight's match carries and this therefore takes on added magnitude for Guardiola and his treble-chasing players.

City beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 on aggregate the last time they were at this stage two years ago, only to lose to Madrid in the semis. Last season they crashed out in the first knockout round, meanwhile, losing in a thriller against French champions Monaco in what was one of the most disappointing defeats of Guardiola's managerial career. As impressive as Monaco were, the Catalan was recruited with the intention of turning this side into a European force.

The Citizens were far too inconsistent throughout 2016-17, but it has been a completely different story this time around as they have suffered just a couple of meaningful losses. One of those came away to Wigan Athletic in one of the biggest ever FA Cup upsets; the other that memorable 4-3 defeat here in January's Premier League clash. City's only other losses this season came in two of their last three Champions League matches, but were essentially dead rubbers.

Guardiola's men had already cruised into the last 16 when losing away to Shakhtar Donetsk with a rotated side, having won their first five matches and recorded their biggest away win in the process at Feyenoord. Then came the straightforward 4-0 win in Basel, setting up a meaningless second leg a few weeks later which the Citizens went on to lose 2-1. A disappointing result, maybe, but it was far from disastrous in the grand scheme of things.

Since losing 4-3 to Liverpool on January 14, City have won 11, drawn one and lost two of their matches. They are now into arguably the biggest week of their history, knowing that seven days from now they could have a third Premier League crown in the bag and a second-ever appearance in the last four of the Champions League to look forward to. Even if they do not beat Man United on Saturday, though, they still have a handful of league fixtures to come.

DID YOU KNOW? These two sides have met on 178 previous occasions in English football; Liverpool winning 78 of those - most recently that 4-3 triumph here in January - compared to Manchester City's 45. The Reds may have edged that last encounter, but the Citizens romped to a 5-0 win in the reverse fixture in the first half of the season. Liverpool have won both previous two-legged matches, however, both coming in the EFL Cup.

With kickoff at Anfield now just a couple of minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.

Jurgen Klopp: "I think it is now clear that Pep is making the same impact in England that he did in Spain and Germany, in terms of creating a team that is capable of beauty and dominance. Pep raises the bar, but I think rather than just stand and applaud our job at Liverpool is to keep focused on what we are doing to give ourselves the chance to jump even higher. That's our job: worry about what we can affect, which is our own development as a team, and see where that takes us to."

Pep Guardiola: "If you think we are going to defend for 90 minutes in our box and after make one counter-attack - it's not going to happen. If we defend 90 minutes it's for one reason - because Liverpool are unstoppable. But why should we change when it's going well so far? When we've played that way we've had good results and they believe they can do it. We know sometimes we have to defend, we will have to be careful, but if I said, 'Guys, we are going to do it completely differently to how we have done it so far', the players would look at me and say, 'This guy is scared - the manager doesn't trust in us'. So that would be a big mistake."

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KICKOFF! We are up and running on Merseyside in this first ever meeting between the two clubs in European competition. Unbelievable atmosphere around Anfield, as expected, with the home side getting proceedings under way.

Liverpool with a high intensity start to the game but the ball is turned over in midfield. David Silva runs with it and then Kevin De Bruyne got a lucky break, but the visitors were not quite able to get a shot away at goal.

The Citizens, 18 points better off than Liverpool in the league, looking the more composed in the early stages here. All a little too frenetic from the Reds' perspective, and they are now having to drop deep and allow their opponents onto them.

SHOT! Man City have won 19 of their 24 away matches this season. Sane drives into the opposition box and sees his shot deflect off Lovren - good block from the centre-back - and end in the side-netting. Kompany cannot trouble Karius from the resulting corner.

Have to say, it has been pretty much all Man City at the moment. Sane involved in most of the Citizens' attacks in the opening stages, but his ball around the back for David Silva is cut out before it reached its intended target.

More than 10 minutes played and still no shots on target - incredible! Don't ask for your money back just yet, though, because the intensity remains incredibly high and this one does appear to have a goal or two in it.

Goal number 38 of the season for Mohamed Salah, whose incredible 2017-18 goes on. This breakthrough goal came via a counter-attack after a sloppy pass in midfield from Leroy Sane. James Milner picked out Salah who finished off the attack after Ederson parried Roberto Firmino's tame shot.

SHOT! Almost a replica of Liverpool's goal as Sane charges at the opposition box on the counter. Unlike the hosts, though, City fail to take their chance as Sane drags his shot wide from the edge of the box, when De Bruyne was crying out for the pass.

On that Salah goal - his 38th of this incredible season - Ederson maybe could have done better with the initial shot and Walker also had a chance to clear the ball away. A sloppy one for the Citizens to concede, having been on top up until that point.

Man City have seen more of the ball and have had a couple of half-chances, yet it is Liverpool who have the lead with nearly a quarter of the match played. This one is living up to expectations - it is end-to-end at the moment.

What an incredible goal from Oxlade-Chamberlain! The Englishman scored at the same end in the 4-3 win over City in January, but this latest goal was something special. Ederson barely had a chance to shift as Oxlade-Chamberlain flashed the ball past him from around 22 yards.

City had six or seven players near Oxlade-Chamberlain but they did not show the desire to close him down in time. A few of them were perhaps expecting the referee to blow his whistle for an earlier infringement, but Ox remained alert.

City now facing their biggest test of the season. The good news for the Citizens is that they have 105 minutes to rescue themselves; even a 2-1 defeat here would not be disastrous thanks to the away goal. Still all to play for.

Since that second goal Liverpool have been the side on top. City just have not been given a chance to find their rhythm, and it has been a bombardment on their box over the past five minutes. Guardiola will be wondering what on earth is happening.

Liverpool continuing to dictate the play here. The Reds have only created one real chance, which Salah buried - Oxlade-Chamberlain's goal was simply a well-taken shot from range. Guardiola may well be hoping for that half-time whistle.

Liverpool are running riot at Anfield against the best team in the land. Salah's initial shot was blocked and, rather than try again, he changed ploy by lofting the ball towards the back post for Mane to attack with his head. Powerful header, 3-0 to the Reds.

Guardiola's decision to select Gundogan over Sterling has clearly not paid off. The Catalan coach has decided against making a change just yet, but another goal for Liverpool and this tie can surely be considered all over.

Three goals conceded inside the space of 19 minutes here has left City on the brink of a Champions League exit. A great run from Robertson, who can sense a fourth goal, only for Kompany to produce a big block and cut out the shot.

Liverpool had a three-goal advantage against City in that January fixture here, remember, only to concede twice to leave them holding on. The Reds' pressing has been outstanding; they are simply not letting Man City find their flow.

Well it is fair to say that things can only get better for the visitors. They kept their worst performance of the season for their biggest game of the season, although a lot of credit has to go to Liverpool for making them look so poor.

The Citizens enjoy a rare prolonged spell on the ball, without being able to create anything. They have failed to test Karius all half, with the Liverpool keeper enjoying one of his quieter halves of football since ousting Mignolet.

SHOT! Not a bad attempt at all from Firmino, who gets away from Kompany and Gundogan and takes the shot on. The ball flew marginally over the joint of post and crossbar, so it will likely be just the three Liverpool goals at half time!

Man City kept their best spell of possession of the half until the very end, culminating in Otamendi dragging his shot a fair way wide, though up the other end Van Dijk flicked a header narrowly wide. Midway through this first leg, Liverpool have a - some would say deserved - three-goal lead.

City had kept a clean sheet in half of their 24 away matches this term heading into this one, but they were behind 12 minutes in from the first shot on target at either end. Somewhat against the run of play, the Reds hit their opponents on the counter and Mohamed Salah was there to round the move off after Kyle Walker failed to clear a tame Roberto Firmino shot that Ederson parried.

The visitors failed to muster a single attempt on target all half, with pretty much their best opening seeing Leroy Sane drag a shot wide from the edge of the box when he had Kevin De Bruyne crying out for the ball. Liverpool were two in front soon after, as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - also on the scoresheet in City's 4-3 loss here in January - rifled the ball past Ederson from 22 yards before the goalkeeper could truly set himself.

Two goals soon became three as, from the next dangerous attacking move, Salah lofted the ball towards the back post for Sadio Mane to power a header into the back of the net. That made it 77 goals for Liverpool's front three this term, and Firmino came close to improving that tally further when unleashing a shot that flew marginally over the crossbar late in the first half.

BENCH WATCH!

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Mignolet, Clyne, Wijnaldum, Moreno, Ings, Solanke, Masterson

MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Sterling, Delph, Bernardo, Zinchenko

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RESTART! Manchester City get proceedings back under way at Anfield, where neither manager has made a change at the break. A tad surprising in Guardiola's case, because his side were outclassed in the opening 45 minutes.

Man City with a bit more intensity about them, which in fairness was also present prior to Liverpool's opening goal of the evening. A long time ago now, but that Salah goal from close range did come a little against the run of play.

Raheem Sterling and Fabian Delph have been sent out to warm-up. The visitors have had the better of the second half so far, winning themselves a couple of corners which have come to little; Otamendi guiding this latest one over the bar.

A slight worry for Liverpool fans now, with Salah currently off the pitch receiving some treatment. Sane hammers the ball through the box - not sure if he was going for goal there or trying to pick out one of his teammates.

LIVERPOOL SUB! Mohamed Salah will play no further part in this contest. Georginio Wijnaldum comes on in his place, so a slight reshuffle as far as the hosts are concerned. Klopp clearly not wanting to take any risks with his star player.

Plenty of urgency about the visitors now, as Gundogan drives a shot wide of target. It took a deflection on its way through, and from the corner Liverpool stand their ground pretty comfortably to keep their hefty lead intact.

MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Raheem Sterling will question why he was left out of the starting lineup tonight, and he now has a chance to make his mark on this tie after being brought on for Ilkay Gundogan. City desperately need an away goal.

Sane nearly wiggles his way through four Liverpool men but eventually loses the ball. The Citizens pushing their opponents back and they look far more likely to score in this second half compared to the first, even if chances remain hard to come by.

To be fair to Sane, he is the man getting involved in most of City's attacks. Unfortunately for him everything he is trying is not paying off at the moment, with his latest flick into the path of De Bruyne being gobbled up by Karius.

A nice ball over the top is volleyed wide by Sterling, who was flagged for offside anyway. Sane once again is played in down the left; Sane once again fails to pick out one of his teammates, as the ball is cut out before reaching Silva.

Both managers still have a couple of changes available to make should they wish. Still awaiting the first real chance since the second half resumed, with Klopp clearly the happier of the two managers as we enter the final 24 minutes of the game.

Home fans urging their side on because they can sense a Man City goal coming - that would change the complexion of things. The Citizens may be dominating possession but Karius has still yet to have a single shot to save all evening.

LIVERPOOL SUB! Dominic Solanke, yet to establish himself at Anfield since joining from Chelsea in the summer, is on in place of Roberto Firmino. The Brazilian appears to have a cut to his face, which may have had a say in that decision.

Despite being 3-0 down, you would not write off City heading into the second leg. Liverpool, though, will be heavy favourites to progress through to the semi-finals if they can see through these remaining 18 minutes on home soil.

SAVE! Dominic Solanke makes an instant impact by getting forward down the flank and picking out Sadio Mane, whose shot had to be dealt with by Ederson. Up the other end, Jesus's acrobatic attempt is sent wide of the target.

YELLOW CARD! Gabriel Jesus says a little too much to the referee and is the second City player to be cautioned, joining teammate Nicolas Otamendi in the referee's notebook. Liverpool 14 minutes from the absolute dream result.

It has been a pretty bland second half, truth be told, with neither side getting a serious shot on target. City have seen far more of the ball, but Fernandinho's blocked shot from distance pretty much sums things up for them.

YELLOW CARD! A frustrated De Bruyne clatters into Mane and is rightly cautioned. Prior to that, Sterling had a penalty shout rejected - looked as though he was appealing for handball against Robertson, who slid in.

Fernandinho with another crack from range, which once again is blocked. On the basis of the previous 82 minutes, it is difficult to see where a Man City goal is going to come from - that's not something I expected to say tonight!

GOAL DISALLOWED! City's best attacking move all evening sees an offside Sane played in behind and his cross is helped over the line by Gabriel Jesus. Having seen a replay, though I am not quite sure if the German was in an offside position. Big call!

LIVERPOOL SUB! A final change for Liverpool, as Alberto Moreno comes on for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Jordan Henderson is late with his challenge, picks up a yellow card and will now miss the return fixture next week.

Just two minutes of normal time left to play at Anfield, where the flow of the game remains the same. Man City have taken control of the second half, but Klopp appears happy for that to happen as his side have looked pretty solid at the back.

Just three added on minutes to come here so time fast running out for City. Just one goal now for the visitors would change the complexion of things quite substantially, meaning that 2-0 win on home soil next week will send them through.

YELLOW CARD! Two of the three added-on minutes have been played at Anfield. Raheem Sterling has just been cautioned to compound his side's misery following a challenge on Georginio Wijnaldum - it really has not been their day.

The full-time whistle sounds at Anfield. Liverpool will take a commanding three-goal lead with them to Manchester next week, courtesy of first-half goals from Mohamed Salah, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane. If the first half was all about attacking, the second was a masterclass in defending from the Reds.

That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from Merseyside. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while reaction will be available elsewhere on the site in due course. Thanks for joining!