We’re the best, says Guardiola

PEP GUARDIOLA believes Manchester City are the best team in the Premier League.

After seeing his men move third in the Premier League with a 5-0 rout of Crystal Palace, the Catalan insisted that his team have outplayed every other side in the division this season.

Guardiola said: “We are the best team in the Premier League to create clear chances.

“Maybe I remember one game where the opponent created more chances than us – against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

“The others? No chance. We have been better than all the other teams – but we have not been able to score goals

“And that is the most difficult thing to do.

“You see Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus. They create chances, similar like us, but they have three guys that score goals.

“We have missed a lot this season.

“That’s why today it was different because we scored goals in the first minutes of the first half and the

second half.” PABLO ZABALETA is preparing to end his nine-year love affair with Manchester City.

The Argentina defender will walk away from the Etihad when his contract expires at the end of the season after City failed to offer him the two-year deal he wanted.

Zabaleta (below) has become a cult hero at the club since he arrived from Espanyol for £6million the day before Sheikh Mansour’s takeover transformed the Blues.

He said: “I have a special relationship with City. I have been here nine seasons and my love for City is huge.

“But in football you have to make tough decisions sometimes, and I have to make a decision that is the best for myself and hopefully for the club.”

Yaya Toure, Gael Clichy, Willy Caballero and Bacary Sagna will all be free agents in the summer.

The 32-year-old Zabaleta added: “We all know some players will be leaving, but at this moment the most important thing is to think about City. I’m not thinking about a contract.

“All I am focused on his trying to finish as well as we can and secure a Champions League spot.” YAYA TOURE is resisting the Ivory Coast’s attempts to lure him out of international retirement in a bid to land a new deal at Manchester City.

Toure (below) has 102 caps for his country and new coach Marc Wilmots has made bringing the midfielder back into the fold his top priority.

But Toure, 34 this Saturday, said: “No, no. I won’t change my mind now. That is over.”

He is out of contract at the Etihad this summer and there have been no talks about extending his stay. But Toure is ready to sign for another Premier League club, if he is offered a two-year deal.

He hopes his refusal to return for the Ivory Coast will help his cause.