LIVERPOOL: Manuel Pellegrini believes Liverpool's exertions in Europe will provide Manchester City with an advantage when the teams meet at Anfield in a crucial Premier League clash on Sunday.
Liverpool only returned to Merseyside at 0420 GMT on Friday after being knocked out of the Europa League by Turkish club Besiktas, so Brendan Rodgers' side have little time to recover before they return to action in Sunday's early game.
Second placed City would dearly love a win to close the gap on leaders Chelsea, who have a five-point advantage but don't play in the league this weekend due to their League Cup final date with Tottenham on Sunday.
And Pellegrini, who saw his City side beaten 2-1 by Barcelona in the Champions League last 16 first leg at Eastlands on Tuesday, knows Liverpool's face a tough return to domestic action.
"I think that of course it is an advantage, not a decisive one because I always think the decisive thing is the performance on the day of the game," Pellegrini said.
"I have played in the Europa League and when you arrive on Friday it is not the best way to prepare for a game on Sunday but that is the rules.
"They are playing Europa League. Maybe another time we prepare worse for the game.
"You cannot prepare the game because you finish on Thursday night and you must play on Sunday, the players need at least 48 hours to recover.
"It is an advantage for the other team but it is not a decisive one."
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