Guardiola dismisses talk he will quit Man City: Why should people think I'm not happy here?

Pep Guardiola has dismissed any suggestion that he is unhappy at Manchester City and will quit the club before his current contract ends.

The City manager's deal runs until 2021, but there has been speculation that he could return to former club Bayern Munich or even take another year out.

City are nine points behind leaders Liverpool ahead of Saturday's clash with Chelsea following their defeat at Anfield before the international break.

Despite that loss, Guardiola said the performance showed that his players still trust his methods and, until that changes, he his comfortable in his role at the Etihad Stadium.

"Why should people think I’m not happy here? Because we lost at Anfield or I’ve lost three games this season? That’s an odd reason to say I’m not happy or satisfied to be here," he told reporters.

"The first season at Anfield we had one shot on target but the last game we made 18, more corners, everything more in the most difficult stadium in the world against an incredible opponent. That’s my job.

"The moment I will leave is when I feel my team don’t follow [me] to play at Anfield in the way we played. At that moment I’d say, ‘Wow, I miss my team’ and after I would call my boss and say, ‘Guys, maybe you have to sit and think about it’.

"But I don’t have that feeling. Maybe you speak to the players and they say completely the opposite but I don’t have that feeling. If it’s not enough, next season will be better."

If Guardiola sees out his contract it will take him into a fifth year at City - more time than he spent as a manager at previous clubs Barcelona and Bayern.

The Catalan took a year out of the game after his final season at the Camp Nou having lost energy and enthusiasm due to the draining role.

Parallels have been drawn between that fourth season and his current campaign at City, but he hit back that his Barca players produced some of their best football of his time at the club.

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“The last season in Barca we won four titles, I’m sorry, so it wasn’t bad," Guardiola added.

"We didn’t win the league or the Champions League but it was good and we played the best football that we had done in Barcelona because we knew each other, that was my feeling.

"So if the people say [ask] do I want to stay? I want to stay, I don’t have any reasons to move from here, I am incredibly satisfied to work with this club, with these players, and if the people think I am going to resign or be sacked for these results and nine points behind the people doesn’t know me."

Guardiola is also excited by the test of trying to chase down Liverpool, although he admits he would rather be in Jurgen Klopp's position.

"I like to be in this challenge, I love to be in this position," he added.

"I said I prefer to have nine points up front than behind. We have more pressure, they can lose one, two or three games and will still be top.

"I prefer their position, three teams with more chance to win the Premier League than us but we are in November and we’ll see tomorrow how we behave."