PEP GUARDIOLA delivered the news Manchester City fans wanted to hear — insisting he will not walk out on them in the summer.
And the Etihad chief is also up for the challenge of pegging back runaway leaders Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola has insisted he will not walk away from Man City this summerCredit: Getty – Contributor
City have slumped nine points behind the Reds after just 12 league games leading to speculation about Guardiola’s future.
There have been reports linking him with a return to Bayern Munich — while others have said he is eyeing another sabbatical.
But the Catalan has 18 months remaining on his contract at City and is 100 per cent sure he wants to see it out.
Ahead of today’s teatime clash with Chelsea, he said: “If the people ask ‘do I want to stay?’ I want to stay, I don’t have any reasons to move from here.
“I am incredibly satisfied working with this club, with these players.
“And if the people think I am going to resign or be sacked for these results and the fact we are nine points behind Liverpool then people don’t know me.
“If the club wants me next season, I want to be here — 100 per cent.
“I want to live in this city because I know lovely people here and I want to work and live with them.”
After amassing 198 points in the last two seasons, City have struggled to hit the same heights this campaign.
But Guardiola says trying to topple Jurgen Klopp’s men and restore his team to the top of the table will drive him on.
That is just what City fans want to hear ahead of a key clash at the Etihad this evening.
Guardiola added: “I like this challenge, I love to be in this position.
“If I don’t win I’m in trouble, I know that. But I’m incredibly happy to work in this city and for this club.
“And I want to help this club to get better.
“I still enjoy working with these players a lot and I would like to stay longer. If the club wants, I will stay.
“Why should people think I’m not happy here? Because we lost at Anfield or I’ve lost three games this season?
“That’s an odd reason to say I’m not happy or satisfied to be here. The real situation is 198 points in two seasons, that is exceptional.
“The moment I will leave is when I feel my team don’t follow me or play in the way we played at Anfield.
“At that moment I’d say, ‘Wow, I miss my team’ and then I would call my boss and say, ‘Guys, maybe you have to sit and think about it’.
“But I don’t have that feeling. Maybe if you speak to the players they would say completely the opposite but I don’t have that feeling.
“If it’s not enough, next season will be better.”
Liverpool are leading the way in the Premier League with 11 wins from their first 12 gamesCredit: AP:Associated Press
Some have compared this season to Guardiola’s last one in charge at Barcelona which ended without success in the two main competitions.
Back then he needed a year out to recharge his batteries before taking on the job at Bayern 12 months later.
But Guardiola added: “The last season in Barca we won four titles, I’m sorry, so it wasn’t bad.
“We didn’t win LaLiga or the Champions League but it was good and we played the best football we had done because we knew each other. That was my feeling.”
Guardiola faces the biggest challenge yet to try to complete a hat-trick of titles — considering the way Liverpool are playing.
But he is not ready to throw in the towel yet, with two thirds of the season still to go.
He said: “We don’t have a joker in our pocket and nine points against that team is . . .
“But I know all around the world it seems there is a feeling the Premier League is done, so if that happens we’ll try again next season.
“And my players will be there. We have two options — give up or don’t give up.
“It depends on our mind. I think the way we played at Anfield, especially, shows we are not going to give up.
“Maybe we won’t win — but we are not going to give up.”
City will be boosted by the return of keeper Ederson.
The Brazilian missed the defeat at Liverpool a fortnight ago with a hamstring injury but has been working as normal this week.
Guardiola added: “He has been training the last two or three days without pain.”
With three defeats already, City now face an uphill battle to keep their crown.
But Guardiola insists the title race is far from done.
He said: “A few weeks ago there were two contenders and now we have four so maybe there will be six in a few days.
“We are in November, there is a long way to play.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
