Pep Guardiola vows 'I've not lost Man City dressing room' ahead of Man Utd clash

Pep Guardiola has resolutely dismissed any notion he’s lost the Manchester City dressing room as he battles through what is the most turbulent period in his managerial career.

Heading into today’s hotly-anticipated Manchester derby at the Etihad with seven losses in their last 10 games, Guardiola is experiencing an unforeseen nosedive.

It’s a scenario that sharply contrasts with his previous City record, where it took 105 matches for him to register a similar number of defeats.

Yet, Guardiola’s defiance shines through and he says there is total unity among his team and staff ahead of their clash against arch-rivals Manchester United.

The Catalan coach promised to step down if he sensed his players were turning a deaf ear to his guidance: “The important thing is how we are inside.

“How the players feel and the staff. There’s one thing when I would say ‘Pep you have to think about it,’ and that’s when I lose the team. When I feel they do not run. When everyone says the manager has lost the team and they don’t follow me.

“In that moment, not one more minute, I will be here. But at the minute it’s not there and more than ever I am there – no doubt about that.”

Guardiola also braced the City faithful for more potential setbacks, stating: “In the past, maybe we would go the whole season and losing seven didn’t happen.

“But it’s football, it’s life. If you had told me a month ago, when we were top of the league and unbeaten, we were going to lose seven of the next 10, I would say ‘are you crazy? It’s not going to happen to my team’. But it’s happened and maybe we’re going to lose more.”

Guardiola has admitted that Man City’s hopes of clinching a record-extending fifth consecutive title are slipping away, although the Reds dropped points to Fulham on Saturday.

He candidly remarked: “We don’t have a defence my friends. We’ve lost too many games when this happened. All the criticisms and judging, it’s deserved.”