Pep Guardiola could ‘leave Manchester City this week’ in an astonishing claim following City’s miserable defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League
18:17, 17 Jan 2026Updated 18:20, 17 Jan 2026
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 17: Josep 'Pep' Guardiola, head coach of Manchester City, looks dejected after the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on January 17, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
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Pep Guardiola could walk out of Manchester City(Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola could leave Manchester City this week, claims former Sky Sports host Richard Keys.
Guardiola, 54, is under growing pressure at the Etihad following City’s defeat to Manchester United on Saturday, the fourth consecutive Premier League game the Blues have failed to win. His team were deservedly beaten by United and were ultimately flattered by the 2-0 scoreline.
The defeat has given Arsenal the chance to move nine points clear of them at the top of table when they play Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening.
Pep Guardiola speaks
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Pep Guardiola was furious with his Manchester City players in the Manchester derby defeat(Image: Hayters TV)
Guardiola’s decade-long spell in charge of City could soon come to an end with the Spaniard previously flirting with the idea of leaving Manchester.
Having signed a new two-year extension in November last year until 2027, it remains unclear whether he will see through that contract in its entirety. But now, there are claims Guardiola could leave as early as this week.
Speaking on beIN Sport, disgraced Sky Sports presenter Keys made an astonishing claim about Guardiola’s future after the defeat to United.
Enzo Maresca
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Enzo Maresca has previously been linked with the Manchester City job(Image: Getty Images)
He said: “I think it’s nailed on that he’s gone at the end of the season. But, do not rule out him leaving this week. This week. If he goes this week, [Enzo] Maresca will be in charge of the match against Wolves.
“City will be apoplectic, and they’ll deny it, of course, but it’s on his mind, I’m telling you, to leave this week. He does this a lot, so you can’t read much into it, but this time you can.”
Maresca has long been touted as Guardiola’s successor at City, and reportedly even held talks with the Blues before he was sacked by Chelsea.
Back in December, he said: “It doesn’t affect me at all because I know it’s 100 per cent speculation. In this moment, there is no time for these kinds of things, first of all, because I have a contract here until 2029.”
However, Maresca is now without a job after he left Chelsea earlier this month, with Liam Rosenior named his successor at Stamford Bridge.
It’s unclear whether Maresca would be able to step into a new managerial job so soon after leaving Chelsea with it unknown whether or not any clause or agreement in his departure states he cannot take immediate charge of a new club.
Maresca was previously a coach under Guardiola at City before leaving to start his own managerial career at Leicester City, later joining Chelsea.
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Following the Old Trafford defeat, Guardiola was critical of his team, admitting that the better team won. “They were the better team,” said Guardiola.
“They had something we did not have. I’ve come many times here. But today we were not the level required to win these types of games. We had that energy four days ago against Newcastle but not today.
“It was not a bad performance. We didn’t get the result. It happens. It was a football game and they were better.”