Pep Guardiola: I won’t resign if Manchester City are relegated to League One

Pep Guardiola says he will not resign as Manchester City manager even if the club is found guilty of breaking financial fair play rules and relegated to League One.

City have been charged with more than 100 breaches of Premier League rules, all of which the champions deny. After Everton were deducted 10 points for a single breach of the league’s profit and sustainability rules it caused speculation that if City’s charges are proven they may face more serious action, including relegation. Guardiola was asked whether he would consider his position should that happen.

“It’s a good question,” the manager said at a press conference on Friday. “I will answer when I have the sentence [decision]. You are questioning like we have been punished. And in the moment we are innocent until guilt is proved. I know the people want it. I know, I feel it. I will wait. Wait and see it and after the sentence has been done we will come here and explain it.

“But absolutely I will not consider my future [if] it depends on being here [Premier League] or being in League One. Absolutely. There is more chance to stay if we are in League One than if we were in the Champions League.”

Guardiola is clear that Everton’s case is different to City’s. The Merseyside club were found to overreached their allowed losses by £19.5m. One of the main accusations the treble winners have to answer is of inflating sponsorship deals.

“What people accuse us of we do not agree with,” Guardiola said. “We are going to defend [ourselves] and after the resolution is done, I will be here, like a spokesman for my club. I want to say the case for Everton, and I don’t know what happened, but only I know from the lawyers and people at my club is that they are completely different cases … I know when people are saying: ‘OK, City - why don’t they go to the Conference?’ Wait. Wait. And after what’s going to happen is going to happen.”

City host Liverpool in tomorrow’s 12.30pm kick-off. Erling Haaland faces a late fitness test after sustaining an injury with Norway. “He trained yesterday with some niggles,” Guardiola said. “Today we train and hope he can be part of it.”