- Assistant manager Pep Lijnders will be take Guardiola’s place in Saturday’s FA Cup fixture
- Pep Lijnders worked under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool
- Guardiola serving two-game touchline ban
Manchester City assistant manager Pep Lijnders will be in charge of the team for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final clash with Liverpool.
The Dutchman is filling in for City boss Pep Guardiola, who is serving a two-game touchline ban, so he will not be in the dugout at the Etihad this weekend.
Lijnders has plenty of history with Liverpool, having served as assistant to former Reds manager Jurgen Klopp during two spells at Anfield.
The 43-year-old was appointed assistant manager at City on 10 June 2025, following the departure of Juan Manuel Lillo.
Why is Pep Guardiola serving a touchline ban against Liverpool?
Man City boss Guardiola received a two-game touchline ban after being booked for the sixth time this season.
During last month’s FA Cup win at Newcastle, he confronted fourth official Lewis Smith after an incident between Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier and City’s Jeremy Doku, earning Pep a yellow card.
Managers are banned for one game for every three yellow cards they receive. But this season, they now earn a two-game suspension if they reach six bookings.
Guardiola already missed City’s 1-1 Premier League draw against West Ham on 14 March.
Despite Guardiola’s absence, City remain favourites against Liverpool according to Opta’s Supercomputer prediction.
Who is Manchester City assistant manager Pep Lijnders?
Dutch coach Lijnders has worked in elite football for more than two decades. His first role was working with the youth academy at PSV Eindhoven.
He then had spells with Porto and Liverpool before securing his first senior manager role at NEC Nijmegen.
Lijnders returned to Liverpool in 2018, helping them to lift the 2019 Champions League and 2020 Premier League titles.
In 2024, he was appointed manager of Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg. He was in charge for just 29 games before joining Manchester City last year.
