City Job a one-off SayS PeP

PEP GUARDIOLA admits he will never go on to manage a club for as long as he has done at Manchester City.

Guardiola will have completed seven years in charge of City by the time he finishes his contract in June.

The Spaniard will sit down with club bosses at the end of the season and is expected to sign a new deal.

But Guardiola, who has won nine major trophies since taking charge in 2016, said: “Stay in another place for seven years? No, I don’t think so. It is difficult to find what I have here as a manager.To be a manager for long time you need to be supported, although the results help a lot, that is undeniable.

“At big clubs the success of the manager is also down to the chairman, sporting director, especially, and all the people here. There is stability.This is why only in few clubs this can happen.”

Guardiola has developed a strong bond with the fans, which was evident last weekend when he celebrated with them following Erling Haaland’s late winner to help 10-man City sink Fulham at the Etihad.

He added: “It was special.Ten versus 11 and we scored in the last minute and people were there, they never went home.

“Seven seasons here and there are good and bad moments we have had together. This is part of our lives and you live them.We lived through very good things, but whatever happens, it is part of the incredible moments of my life that I’ve seen here.”

Bees head coach Thomas Frank admits earning a result at

City would be a bigger shock than crashing out of the Carabao Cup on penalties to League Two side Gillingham.

He said: “It is the biggest challenge. After Gillingham, we are going from a game where we had the ball around 80 percent to one where we will have it maybe 20 percent. That requires a shift in mindset.

“Though we are closer to City than Gillingham were to us, they are massive favourites – and it would be a bigger headline if we win or even get a draw.”