As he reaches Prem milestone, Pep admits: I can’t believe I’ve lasted this long... but desire to win trophies is strong as ever

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PEP GUARDIOLA goes into his 200th Premier League game admitting he cannot believe he is still in the Manchester City dugout.

The highly-decorated City manager intended to last just three years at the Etihad.

But he admitted the success he has enjoyed with the current champions has proved addictive and meant extending his contract was not a difficult decision.

“When I arrived, I never thought I would be here for six seasons,” said Guardiola. “Never, ever. I came thinking, ‘OK, I’ll do three seasons and do a good job’.

“I extended the contract because we got results, winning back-to-back Premier Leagues and many titles. I couldn’t be in a better place right now.”

Guardiola laughed at suggestions he might make another 200 Premier League appearances in the dugout and gave an insight into what makes him so good when asked about his remaining ambitions.

“I want to beat Crystal Palace, then make an incredible step to qualify for the Champions League (knockout stages) by beating Bruges,” he said. “I don’t take a longer look. My happiness will not change with thinking about winning the Premier League, Champions League or FA Cup. “My happiness depends on if we win against Palace, that is my only concern. It has worked in my career, thinking like this. It’s so important not to get distracted.” Guardiola (with the Premier League trophy back in May, left) is looking forward to hooking up with Arsenal legend and former City colleague Patrick Vieira this afternoon. Vieira managed City’s Elite Development Squad and City Group satellite club New York City.

But Guardiola warned the World Cup winner that City’s midweek defeat to West Ham, which saw them dumped out of the Carabao Cup for the first time in five years, has left them motivated to make amends.

“We have won this competition many times but now we have to prove to ourselves that being out is good,” he added.

“I would have liked to continue in this competition because the results we achieved in the Premier League, Champions League and the FA Cup included – winning once and arriving two times in the semi-finals – show that we can play in all.

“We are used to playing every three days. Now, when we arrive in the weeks when other teams are going to play in the Carabao Cup, we are not going to play.

“We will see. If the results are good, we can say it was nice to be out of the Carabao Cup. If it is wrong, completely the opposite.”