Pep Guardiola has hinted that he may move on from Manchester City if he feels that he can’t help to turn the team’s current form around.
Arsenal are one of the teams watching on with interest as City look to halt a six game winless run in all competitions this weekend. They however face arguably one of the toughest tests in the Premier League on Sunday as they travel to take on Liverpool at Anfield.
The Reds are currently top of the Premier League and have been beaten just once so far this season. City, meanwhile, have lost five of their last six and were pegged back from 3-0 up against Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
It sets up an intriguing encounter that will impact Arsenal. The Gunners are currently sandwiched in between Liverpool and Man City in the Premier League table, in what many are saying is a three-way race for the title.
There was uncertainty over Guardiola’s future for the last few months, but the Spaniard put that to bed by signing a new two-year contract with the club. He has now however hinted that he could leave if the run of losses continue, but has urged for patience.
“I was in Barcelona. I would say my club, where I was born. I was there for four years, 14 titles. I had Messi, the best player ever. Neymar was coming - and I said ‘I’m leaving',” he said ahead of the match.
“People asked ‘why are you leaving your hometown with this generational player and with Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, all the players that changed the world, won World Cups and European Cups?’
“I left because I felt it - and here is the same. If I extend, it’s because I feel it. I'm not sitting here just for what I've done.
“Still I'm happy, still I want to try. But I don't want to stay in the place where I feel I'm a problem. I don't want to just because the contract is there. My chairman knows it. I asked him to give me the chance to try to come back - especially when everybody comes back (from injury) and you see what happens.
“It would have been easy for me to go while we were doing well, but I don't want to now. I had the feeling that I still have a job to do and I want to do it. I want to do it.”
Join the football.london Arsenal WhatsApp channel
Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
Join our Arsenal WhatsApp channel and get all the latest breaking news, opinion, podcasts and in-depth stories from football.london's dedicated Arsenal writers straight to your phone!
By following this free service you will be the first to know the news from the Emirates Stadium as it happens, when it happens.
To join our dedicated Arsenal channel, all you have to do is click this link and you can join thousands of others following our Gunners coverage!
If you're curious, you can check out our privacy policy here.