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The Spanish boss has no plans to walk away from Etihad Stadium before the end of his current contract, which is due to expire in 2021
Pep Guardiola has insisted that he will stay at Manchester City for the for at least one more full season, regardless of whether or not the team achieves its goals for the current campaign.
Guardiola has worked wonders at Etihad Stadium since his arrival at the club back in 2016, winning two Premier League titles, two Carabao Cups and one FA Cup.
City have broken all kinds of records under his stewardship, most notably becoming the first side to win a domestic treble while fighting off a spirited title challenge from Liverpool.
The English champions are unlikely to win a third successive league crown, however, having fallen 14 points behind the Reds this time around.
Liverpool have won 20 of their 21 fixtures and also have a game in hand on City, who have been unable to match the consistency of previous seasons.
Guardiola’s men are, however, still going strong in three competitions, including the Champions League – with a huge last-16 tie against Real Madrid scheduled for the end of February.
It has been suggested that the ex-Barcelona head coach could leave the Etihad if he fails to mastermind European success, but he fully intends to see out his contract through to the end of next season no matter what happens.
“I say many times, unless the club sack me, I’m going to stay 100 per cent,” Guardiola told reporters. “For sure, 100% I’m going to stay here next season.
“Not because we won the last two games or playing better the last few months.
“I enjoy working with them and I like it, but even if it’s going bad and we are not in the Champions League, I will not leave.
“As a manager, there are good and bad moments, you don’t win all the time. But it’s all about what we can do next and how we can improve.”
Guardiola was speaking ahead of City’s home clash with Crystal Palace on Saturday, which they must win to put pressure on Liverpool ahead of their meeting with Manchester United on Sunday.
One man likely to retain a place in the Blues’ starting line up is Riyad Mahrez, who scored twice in a 6-1 win at Aston Villa last weekend – taking his tally for the season to seven.
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Guardiola thinks Mahrez is benefitting from an extended run in the team, with his confidence in the final third at an all-time high.
“Yeah [he is playing well], especially because he plays regularly,” Guardiola added. “The players need it; everybody needs rhythm and now he’s playing quite often.
“In front of goal he is clinical and when he gets the ball I feel he is going to score a goal. It’s a nice feeling for him, too.”
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