City are sitting top of the Premier League table, three points clear of champions Arsenal after a perfect start under manager Enzo Maresca, who says all focus is on the Anfield clash, rather than the charges looming above the side.
This will be the first Premier League match between Liverpool and Man City without either Jürgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola in the dugout since March 2015, and as Maresca and Andoni Iraola go head to head, Anfield is preparing to become a fortress.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Carragher has called for Anfield to be used as a weapon against City for what will be the first time under Iraola after taking over the side in the summer.
“I've been thinking about this game a lot because we've had such a long break,” Carragher said on The Overlap.
“It almost feels like it's an important game for Liverpool because I feel like everyone's almost expecting this atmosphere at Anfield. Now this atmosphere will be there, but this team and this manager, because it's new, have probably not used the Anfield crowd yet to sort of propel it to a performance and win a big game – maybe Atletico Madrid had features of that without it being a full-on rocking night.
“I'm really interested to see how Liverpool go about it and the manager understanding how he uses this crowd. I'm really interested to see what the manager says before the game, actually, because I don't think it's in his nature to ramp things up. He just doesn't come across as that – ‘I just want to speak about football’, and I can see him batting the City charges away.
“And I'm thinking, ‘I wouldn't mind him just throwing a little hand grenade in there and just revving the supporters up and using the atmosphere to gain the three points, which is the most important thing.’”
City know they’ll receive a hostile atmosphere at Anfield on Sunday from the stands, which can easily translate onto the pitch if Liverpool can play at their best.
Neither Andoni Iraola nor Maresca have tasted defeat in the Premier League with their new clubs, but as gameweek six gets underway, only time will tell if those record will stand after the clash on Sunday.