Manchester City have added former Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso to a three-man shortlist to potentially replace Pep Guardiola as manager, if the Spaniard leaves the club at the end of the season. There is a growing belief that the former Barcelona boss will depart once the campaign is over, and City are already putting together a succession plan.
With Arsenal steaming ahead in the Premier League title race from the off while Manchester City stumbled, the one thing Pep Guardiola's side could cling on to was their capacity for a strong finish. City have a remarkable history of reeling in their title rivals in when it matters most by going on what became their trademark relentless runs. But one month into 2026, there is little evidence of that happening this time around.
Pep Guardiola was unhappy that the first of Dominic Solanke's two goals stood during Manchester City's 2-2 draw at Tottenham on Sunday. City deservedly took a 2-0 lead heading into the second half but inexplicably collapsed, though the visiting manager was not pleased that Spurs' first goal was not chalked off by the referee or VAR.
Pep Lijnders has revealed Jurgen Klopp would have taken his job as Manchester City's assistant manager if he himself passed on the opportunity to work under Pep Guardiola. Lijnders spent several years at Liverpool with Klopp but decided to cross the divide to City last summer when presented with the chance to coach at the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola are set to lose a loyal servant with Stefan Ortega reportedly close to completing a move to fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest. The German has proved to be a dependable back-up goalkeeper in the last three seasons, but he now looks set to swap the Etihad Stadium for the City Ground before the January transfer window closes.
Mikel Arteta has said allowing his relationship with Pep Guardiola to deteriorate amid a title race would set a poor example for sport, pointing instead to the respectful rivalry shared by tennis greats Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, who competed against each other for decades but maintained a strong friendship away from the court.
Pep Guardiola was absent from his Manchester City press conference on Friday lunchtime after delivering a passionate speech on the Gaza conflict at a pro-Palestinian rally in his native Barcelona. The event took place on Thursday evening with City assistant manager Pep Lijnders stepping in for Friday's conference and confirming that Guardiola was absent due to a "personal matter" but will be back to lead his side this weekend.
Pep Guardiola has announced that he will be sending a thank you message to former Clasico rival Jose Mourinho. Two highly-decorated coaches once found themselves operating on opposing sides of the fierce divide that separates Barcelona and Real Madrid. They are now at Manchester City and Benfica respectively, with Champions League progress being enjoyed in 2025-26.
Leroy Sane has opened up about his "true homecoming" to the Etihad Stadium, heaping praise on the manager who "reprogrammed" his footballing brain. The Galatasaray winger returns to Manchester on Wednesday night for a high-stakes Champions League clash, admitting that while he remains close friends with his former team-mates, Pep Guardiola’s "relentless" tactical demands are what truly shaped his career.
Pep Guardiola has insisted he has "never, ever" criticised referees in his 10 years in charge at Manchester City following his outburst at Premier League official Farai Hallam. The Spaniard has come under fire for comments made about Hallam after his refusal to award a penalty to City in their 2-0 win over Wolves, although Guardiola has gone on the defensive and, albeit issuing an apology, has doubled down on his assessment of the debutant ref's performance.
Pep Guardiola apologised to Farai Hallam for his pointed remarks at the official on the weekend but insisted he was justified in pointing out the many instances in which big refereeing decisions have gone against Manchester City. Hallam opted against giving City a penalty for handball in Saturday's match with Wolves despite being asked to review the play by VAR.
Pep Guardiola has sarcastically claimed that he will not talk to Erling Haaland about the Manchester City striker's drop in form because he hasn't spoken to any of his players for three years. Haaland has not scored a goal in open play for nine matches and City need him to rediscover his usual striking prowess in their must-win Champions League fixture against Galatasaray on Wednesday.
Pep Guardiola has a long history of memorable press conference outbursts but the Manchester City coach remains very hard to predict. After a defeat or disappointing draw, the Catalan often deflates the situation by keeping his cool in front of the media. And yet he has a habit of unleashing fury after a routine win - which is precisely what happened after City's victory over Wolves on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola has taken a bizarre dig at his own Manchester City players while quoting his “idol”, Johan Cruyff. The demanding Catalan coach worked under the iconic Dutchman during his playing days at Barcelona. Many of the lessons he took back then have been implemented into his own coaching career. Guardiola is now renowned for demanding nothing but the best, and absolute commitment, from all of those working alongside him.
Pep Guardiola has candidly admitted that winger Oscar Bobb is likely looking for a way out of Manchester City before the January transfer window slams shut. The City boss confirmed that the Norwegian international is unhappy with his lack of game time - a situation that has become untenable following the big-money arrival and immediate impact of Antoine Semenyo.
Pep Guardiola’s future remains the subject of lively debate at Manchester City, with it being suggested that the Catalan coach could walk away from the Etihad Stadium in the summer of 2026. An update on his plans claims that no decision has been made as yet, with it being pointed out that the ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has “never broken a contract”.
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
