Pep Guardiola: My approach could get me sacked

Pep Guardiola accepts he could face the sack if results at Manchester City do not improve — but has no intention of changing his methods.

City boss Guardiola has faced more criticism of his open style after his side’s indifferent form continued with a 4-2 loss at champions Leicester on Saturday.

After opening the campaign with 10 successive wins, City have won just four of their past 15 games in all competitions.

There have been calls for Guardiola to compromise his beliefs and work on some fundamentals, such as defending and tackling, but the Spaniard is sticking to his guns.

Guardiola said: “The last month I have to accept the results have not gone well. We didn’t win the last four home games, we scored four goals. I have to accept we didn’t do well.

“But we have to improve what I believe, not change what I believe. When it doesn’t work, you have to be strong.

“I have to accept the opinions of former players, the media, the fans because we didn’t win — but I wish and hope they will give me a little more time.

“Long-term projects do not exist in football. You have to win immediately and if you don’t win, you are in trouble. Then another guy has to be in charge because you have to win. The boss and the chairman are going to decide.

“But we are going to play the way I feel, (maybe) making mistakes. I cannot do something I don’t feel.”

Guardiola has known little but success throughout his managerial career, having won 21 trophies during spells in charge of Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

The recent difficulties are unusual for him but Guardiola accepts these problems are his to resolve.

He said: “The reason why I’m here is to help them to not make mistakes. I’m the main person to blame.

“So, I’m thinking what I have to do to help them without changing because I believe in my way, with adapting to the peculiarities of the league.”

Guardiola admits it may be taking him longer to adapt to the English game than he expected but is convinced he will prove himself if given time.

He said: “I did it in my former clubs and I will do it here. I thought it would be shorter to adapt here, maybe it will be longer, but I’m pretty sure it will happen.”

Having been exposed by Leicester, Guardiola is now preparing himself for a rugged battle against Watford at the Etihad Stadium tonight.

He said: “They can play five or four at the back, they have three strikers I like, they are really good on set-pieces and throw-ins.

“They are confident, they won at home against many good teams. I don’t think it will be that different to the Leicester, West Brom and Stoke (matches).

“It will come down to the quality of the players.”

For his part, Watford manager Walter Mazzarri is not about to get carried away as his side quietly close up on the top six of the Premier League.

“We need to keep improving of course, game after game and our main objective is to stay in the Premier League and after that take everything positive to improve year after year,” the Italian said. “This is why we don’t need to look at the table and even better if nobody looks at it or notices it.”