Former Reds assistant Pep Lijnders is set to take over as Manchester City manager after Josep Guardiola is handed a two-game touchline ban and will miss the FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool.
Pep Lijnders faces his former club in the FA Cup (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
With Josep Guardiola serving a touchline ban, Pep Lijnders will be in charge of Manchester City when they face his former club Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals next month.
Former Reds assistant Lijnders, who twice worked with Jurgen Klopp at Anfield and helped the Reds win the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and two League Cups, made the controversial move to join City as Guardiola’s assistant last summer after his tenure at Red Bull Salzburg came to an abrupt end when he was sacked in December 2024.
The Dutchman has quickly become a trusted member of Guardiola’s backroom team and will take on the manager’s role when they face his former club in the FA Cup at the Etihad Stadium on the weekend of April 4.
Guardiola received his sixth caution of the season for City’s 3-1 win over Newcastle in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday night and will now be suspended for the next two games on the touchline. The City manager had a heated confrontation with fourth referee Lewis Smith after Kieran Trippier fouled Jeremy Dok at St James’ Park.
Follow our Liverpool FB page! Keep up with the latest Reds news and more on our dedicated Facebook page
read more: FA Cup quarter-finals: Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea discover opponents and end in drawread more: Joey Barton arrested for “man injured in face and ribs in Hyton golf club attack”
Under new regulations introduced this season, a Premier League manager who receives three yellow cards will receive a one-game suspension, and six warnings will result in a two-game suspension.
The suspension only applies to Premier League and FA Cup matches, so Guardiola will be kept off the touchline for this weekend’s trip to West Ham and the cup game against Liverpool, but will be in the dugout for the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal on March 22. He will also feature in both matches against Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Following the penalty against Newcastle, Guardiola said: “Let me tell you one thing: we have all the records in this country, despite everything. We have the record of the manager who has received the most yellow cards. I want all the records, and now I have them. I have now been suspended for two games and I will be on holiday for the next two games.”
Pep Guardiola receives two-match touchline ban (Image: Richard Sellers/Allstar, Getty Images)
“There are some things I still don’t understand even after 10 years. I want you to reevaluate your actions. Of course, I’m going to protect Doc and all the teams.”
Lijnders rubbished the fuss surrounding his move to City, pointing out that Klopp had urged him to accept the position before his first return to Anfield in a Premier League game last month.
“When I spoke to Jurgen, he clearly said, ‘If you don’t do it, I’ll take the assistant job,'” Lijnders told BBC Sport. “It’s not going to be easy to end 10 years at Liverpool, but I’m really proud to have been able to join a club of this size and have been so successful over the last 10 years, under the direction of a manager who has defined football.”
Join our LFC WhatsApp community to keep up to date with the latest LFC news, opinion, transfer gossip and more. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Free William Hill shop bets in the mirror every day in Cheltenham
Don’t miss out on the free shop bets published in your favorite horse racing newspaper every day during the Cheltenham Festival! Plus, every day from Tuesday 10th March to Friday 13th March 2026, you’ll get expert knowledge from top tipsters with drawers covering runners, riders and everything you need to rock the biggest ever Cheltenham Festival. Click here for more information.
Please only bet if you are over 18 years old. Terms and conditions apply. See the paper for details.
