Norway striker Erling Haaland is a “perfect fit” for Manchester City and Liverpool will have to find ways to limit his threat in attack in Sunday’s Premier League game at Anfield, manager Juergen Klopp said.

Haaland has made a sensational start at City, scoring 20 goals in 13 matches in all competitions for the league champions since joining them from Borussia Dortmund in the close season.

“When you play against somebody at the moment who is the best striker in the world you have to make sure he doesn’t get that many balls,” Klopp told reporters on Friday.

“That’s what we will try but obviously against City the problem is if you close Haaland down with too many players you open up gaps for all the other world-class players.

“So that will not make life easier, it’s a challenge, it’s a football problem and we will try to find a solution.”

Klopp heaped praise on Haaland, saying the 22-yearold boasts an enviable combination of physical and technical skills.

“His finishing skills are exceptional but he moves really smart,” Klopp said. “You can only use speed if you use it in a smart way. His whole package makes it special.”

The Liverpool manager added: “So many things to make a striker, and at City he has some of the best players around him setting up goals. It’s a perfect fit.”

City manager Pep Guardiola said his Sunday’s rivals are their “biggest challengers” for the title despite the Merseyside team trailing his side by 13 points.

“I know the quality they have, they know the quality we have. If this was with three games left, I would say they could not catch top of the league but, with so long left plus a World Cup, anything can happen,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.

“It’s always difficult in the years since we have arrived here together, it will be a tough game and I don’t expect anything else.

“The game will be dictated on the pitch, not by the table, because we are in front of them or behind, not because of those kind of things.”