'Maybe we can swap' - Guardiola's special request to Klopp

Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola and his Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp posses with their trophies at the Football Writers' Association awards. [Courtesy]

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has joked that he and Jurgen Klopp should swap trophies, with Liverpool gunning for Premier League glory and City seemingly more interested in winning the Champions League.

The two-star managers attended the Football Writers' Association northern branch managers' awards dinner on Sunday night in Manchester and reportedly spent some time in light-hearted discussion in the reception area.

Although their two clubs have developed a fierce rivalry recently due to their supremacy on the pitch in the last few years, the two managers are thought to have a good relationship and admire each other from afar.

According to The Athletic Guardiola said it was obvious to all that he was desperate to win the Champions League, which Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool hold following their victory in last season's competition, while the Reds were more interested in the Premier League, which they have never won, so he joked "maybe we can swap?"

Jurgen Klopp poses with his award at the ceremony.[Courtesy]

Both clubs are looking good to achieve their aims so far this season, with Liverpool eight points clear of closest challengers Leicester in the Premier League, while City have won three and drawn one in their Champions League group and look set to qualify comfortably for the knockout stages.

The most recent meeting before Guardiola and Klopp's sides saw Liverpool come out on top in a controversial 3-1 victory, with the Catalan manager left furious with some of the refereeing decisions.

Pep Guardiola was also presented with an award. [Courtesy]

It was a star-studded evening at the Northern football awards, with the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and Charity Shield all won by northern clubs last season, and the trophies were presented on stage ahead of the ceremony.

Both City and Liverpool are in Champions League action this week, with City hosting Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday and Liverpool at home to Napoli on Wednesday.