Aymeric Laporte: 'Manchester City must be 100% focused against Liverpool'

Defender Aymeric Laporte has claimed that Manchester City must perform at their best to overcome Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals.

City hold an 18-point lead over Liverpool in the Premier League standings, but Jurgen Klopp's side are the only team to defeat City in England's top flight this season.

Laporte has acknowledged that there cannot be any complacency in Wednesday's first leg at Anfield, saying that he and his teammates must be "100% focused" to have a chance of securing an advantage ahead of the return leg at the Etihad Stadium.

The 23-year-old is quoted by the Manchester Evening News as saying: "We know Liverpool is a difficult game. They have great players and are in great shape. We need to be 100% focused to have a chance to win.

"We fight every game like it is the last one and it was very important to win. You always try to play the best you can. But we need to keep on improving."

Laporte has made six starts for City since joining the club from Athletic Bilbao in January.