Uncertainty over Pep Guardiola future not affecting Manchester City

Guardiola may be seven months from the end of his current contract as City manager but the uncertainty over his future is hardly having a negative impact on the defending champions

Sun, 06 Nov, 2022 - 22:30

Richard Tanner

Manchester City 2 Fulham 1

Pep Guardiola may be seven months from the end of his current contract as Manchester City manager but, judging by the response of his team in scraping out this win over Fulham, the uncertainty over his future is hardly having a negative impact on the defending champions.

The Catalan, who took over the club in 2016, is widely expected to sign a new deal that will keep him at the Etihad after the current season ends.

With four titles in his six seasons to date, offering Guardiola a new contract is a must for the City hierarchy while there has been no suggestion - to date, in any case - that the 51-year-old is considering ending his reign.

But City only have to look across the city to look at the dangers in a club losing an iconic manager.

When Alex Ferguson announced he was leaving the club in 2002, it sent players into turmoil and resulted in the veteran performing a U-turn over his decision. When he finally did retire in 2013, of course, it sent the club into a tail-spin from which they are yet to emerge.

But if the relative uncertainty over Guardiola’s position has caused instability in the City ranks, it is hard to detect - a point brought home by Kevin De Bruyne who, along with John Stones, is the only player to have been with the club throughout his entire managerial stay.

“I think he is more and more relaxed as he’s been so long with us,” said De Bruyne. “I think for him it is also easier because if you go to a new team you have to teach again.

“From the beginning, what he did with us …. now after seven years it is repeating itself so I feel there is less of an edge sometimes and maybe it is more calm for him.

“To be honest I don’t know, I don’t think you’ll get too much out of him! And that is fine.

“I don’t have to ask him. Everything is fine. He’s got his contract until the end of the year and after that we’ll see. I don’t think anybody put pressure, I don’t think you can put pressure on him, he will decide whatever he wants whenever he wants. We’ll deal with it.”

Certainly, this latest City victory was another example of how Guardiola, for all his success and years at the very top, is showing no sign of losing his drive and enthusiasm - another trait he shares with Ferguson.

City lost Joao Cancelo to a red card, as he fouled Harry Wilson and presented Andreas Pereira with the penalty that gave Fulham a shock equaliser to cancel out Julian Alvarez’s opener.

But, condemned to playing for over an hour with 10 men, City eventually took all three points thanks to a 94th minute penalty from second half substitute Erling Haaland, his 18th league goal of the season.

And throughout a tumultuous final hour, Guardiola was his usual manic self, micro-managing almost every move, inspiring his players forward and embracing Haaland on the final whistle before joining his players in what looked like a lap of honour.

“This is not me to them, them to me, this is a feedback, I give them enthusiasm but they give it to me,” said Guardiola.

“The way they play, what I saw for 65 minutes, I see the faces of our people, they give me the energy for the future, for Chelsea and Brentford this week. I cannot disappoint them, I have to be there with them.

“Before the game they see my enthusiasm, I said to them, this weekend is important, the contenders play each other, we are there, we can be at the top of the league or nearly there when it’s the World Cup.

“The target this season was qualify for the Champions League, be close to the top. They felt it, it was my job – but after they give it to me. it’s not that all the time I have to push, push, push, there’s not enough energy and I don’t have that. Today they gave me what they are.”

In this instance, as in so many others over the previous six years, it was left to De Bruyne to provide the vital “assist" for the win as he was tripped by Antonee Robinson to earn the penalty for Haaland to convert.

Despite some excellent performances from the Belgian this season, he has often been on the end of some criticism from his demanding manager - possibly because Guardiola appreciates De Bruyne’s incredible abilities but also because he knows the intelligent veteran can take such criticism the correct way.

“You want to do the best you can,” explained De Bruyne. “But there are so many games, different circumstances.

“Sometimes you feel tired, sometimes you don’t. Family affairs, there are a lot of things that go into the calculations of playing well or not.

“I think it is fine, he wants the top all the time and we try to achieve that. I don’t feel any harsh words, just pushing to the limits.”