GARY Bowyer will take a hard-hearted approach to team selection for City’s dream date with Liverpool.

The Bantams boss knows his whole squad will want to be involved in Sunday’s sell-out friendly at Valley Parade in aid of the Darby Rimmer MND foundation.

But Bowyer will not be swayed by sentiment as he prioritises the build-up to the League Two curtain raiser three weeks from now.

He said: “Everyone will want to play but I’ve got to see who is available. I’m not going to be risking anybody, even if they might come out and say ‘give me a go, I’m all right’.

“It’s not about that. It’s about making sure they are ready for the Cambridge game.

“Sunday will be fantastic and could be the biggest game in their career for some of the players being up against that quality opposition.

“We’ll have to keep the reins on one or two if we don’t think they are quite there yet, in terms of being ready to play.”

Jackson Longridge, Paudie O’Connor, Matty Palmer and Zeli Ismail did not take part at Guiseley. Shay McCartan, Connor Wood and Jake Reeves also sat it out.

Bowyer added: “We’re hopeful (of having more players available) but it’s what you have to put up with a little bit in pre-season.

“Some are sore and even after Saturday when I said there were no injuries, come Monday morning one or two came in and felt a little bit stiff as they started jogging.

“They have had a very hard two weeks. Now that’s started again in the third week with the quality of the work they have produced.

"But there’s a fantastic buzz around the training ground because we’re all looking forward to a wonderful game on Sunday.”