Manchester City's players have been predicted to perform better following news of Pep Guardiola's expected exit
Pep Guardiola has been told how his Manchester City players will respond to news of his departure
Pep Guardiola has been told how his Manchester City players will respond to news of his departure(Image: (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images))
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Jamie Carragher has claimed that Pep Guardiola's exit decision will impact Manchester City's players positively. News of the Spaniard's expected departure emerged on Monday evening, just over 48 hours on from an FA Cup triumph which saw Guardiola claim his 20th trophy as City boss.
With the Carabao Cup won earlier in the season, a domestic treble is still just about possible for City. However, to take the Premier League title race to the final day, they must beat Bournemouth following Arsenal's victory over Burnley.
Andoni Iraola's side are unbeaten in their last 16 league games, and while City boast a similar record, title rivals Arsenal were undone by the Cherries earlier this season. Despite that, Carragher is optimistic that news of Guardiola's expected exit will motivate the City players to crown the Spaniard's trophy-laden spell with another Premier League title.
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He said on Sky Sports: “If City play well, they’ll win (vs Bournemouth). I don’t think the Pep news will impact the players in a negative way. It might make no difference, but if it was going to make any difference, I think it would be in a positive way.
“What that guy has done, what he’s done for the players and what they’ve achieved together. What a way to send him off it would be to win a domestic treble.”
Carragher also discussed the timing of the exit news coming out alongside reports that Enzo Maresca is expected to replace Guardiola.
He added: “I don’t suppose Manchester City or Pep Guardiola can do anything about the timing. They have to let the club know.
“The next guy coming in, we hear it’s Maresca - he would have to have information about this. He would have staff he would have to speak to. The closer you get to the end of the season, the more people that know. Eventually it comes out.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola reacts
Pep Guardiola is set to leave Manchester City at the end of the season(Image: The FA via Getty Images)
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“This wouldn’t have happened overnight, it would have been in the last weeks or months you would imagine. There’s just too many people involved for it not to come out in the end.”
Guardiola's final game in charge of City will be this weekend against Aston Villa, and he will be hoping that the Premier League title is still up for grabs.
Regardless of whether or not he claims a seventh Premier League trophy, a bus parade to celebrate the success of the whole club, with silverware won by the women's first team and academy, has already been confirmed.
It is also likely to be a chance for City stalwarts John Stones and Bernardo Silva to say farewell, with the duo leaving the club at the end of the season.