PEP TELLS ARTETA: STICK AROUND TO BE NEXT CITY BOSS

PEP GUARDIOLA has backed his assistant Mikel Arteta to succeed him as Manchester City manager. Arteta has been linked with vacancies at two of his former clubs, Arsenal and Everton, but Guardiola insists there has been no approach for his No 2 who, he says, has the credentials to replace him. ‘Yes, definitely,’ said the City boss, who is under contract until the end of next season and has not ruled out signing a new one. ‘He is able to do that. But it depends on him, the club — many things that I cannot decide. He is ready (to be a manager). It’s right when he has an offer and he accepts the offer. But if you ask whether he is ready in his knowledge of the game, as a person, as a professional, then he is ready. ‘Hopefully he can stay this season and the next one, as long as possible in this club. That would be my dream but Mikel has his own life and I will never say what he has to do. ‘He knows what I want and what the club wants.’ Arteta (right) has been by Guardiola’s side since the summer of 2016, when he retired as a player at Arsenal. The 37-year-old coach hinted in September that he had turned down the Newcastle job before Steve Bruce got it and missed out at Arsenal when Unai Emery was appointed. ‘He travelled to

Burnley (in midweek) and tomorrow he will be close to me again against United,’ Guardiola told Sky Sports. City go into tonight’s derby 11 points clear of United as they try to stay in touch with leaders Liverpool. Asked if he is disappointed that the rivalry has been so one-sided during his time in English football, a smiling Guardiola replied: ‘No, I prefer it. In the time we’ve been here, we’ve been better than United. At the end of the season, our points show that, so the consistency is incredible. It surprised me, too. ‘But we are not here to judge the results or what distance there is between teams in the past or the future. It’s just tomorrow, 5.30pm, the game, try to beat them. ‘If you’re looking at the trophy cabinet, they are better, no doubt about that. In that situation they have lifted more titles than us. But we’re trying to be there for as long as possible and for City fans Manchester City will always be better.’