Pep Guardiola says the trust Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has in him is the main reason he extended his contract in November. 

Guardiola put pen to paper on a two-year extension, keeping him at the Club until the summer of 2023.

By then he will have spent seven years at City, by far his longest stint at any club as a manager.

His five seasons so far have been trophy-laden, with this season’s Premier League title, wrapped up on Tuesday, the tenth major trophy of his reign.

And at the end of the month we face Chelsea in our first ever Champions League final.

Guardiola is overseeing a golden period in City’s history, and he says the solid relationship he has with our Chairman offers him vital solidity that allows him to excel at his job. 

“I saw he trusted me,” he said. “I cannot assure him of success. No one can be sure. But I saw in his eyes and saw at our dinners together that I trust him.

“When that happens in bad moments, like the first season and after Lyon [Champions League defeat], I cannot say no.

“Normally managers are sacked because they don’t win games. But no one knows the reason why they hire you.

“Here [at City] I knew first because they had Ferran [Soriano] and Txiki [Begiristain] and we are on the same path with the way we want to play, live and the respect for the organisation.

“The club is miles away above all of our heads, the most important thing is the organisation.

“Every time we take a decision, it is what is the best for Manchester City.

“That’s why when a player thinks about themselves more than the club, that annoys me a lot.

“I understand a player wants to play but always the club [is most important]. We are here for moments and a period of time - if we win it will be longer, if we don’t it will be shorter.

“But the history of this club didn’t start ten years ago, it started from Maine Road, in Division Two when 30,000, 40,000 fans were taking the bus or the train to go away and support the team.

“This is our history.

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“Sheikh Mansour took over the club and it stepped up another level but the history is what the people love.

“You have to defend that legacy, for our previous managers, players and so on.

“What I saw in his eyes during our conversations, it doesn’t matter what happens we need to continue together, I decided we will continue together.

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Man City

City head to Newcastle on Friday to play our first game since being crowned champions.

Manchester United’s defeat to Leicester on Tuesday means City have an unassailable 10-point lead at the top of the Premier League table with three games remaining.

And ahead of the game at St James’ Park, Guardiola reiterated his delight at securing the third Premier League title of his five-year reign.

“Yeah, I am so happy!” he said. “I said many times the Premier League is the most important.

“Financially, qualification for the Champions League is the most important thing for an organisation.

“But the Premier League, of course, is incredibly satisfying.

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“It’s a lot of work, we had many games, different circumstances.

“Every team has problems, ups and downs, Covid situations, injured players, winter time.

“The toughest period in England is November, December, January and February - and we won all games!

“In the toughest period we were incredibly consistent and determined.

“That’s why in these three, four months we did our job and after that we didn’t make any big mistakes. Maybe one or two in 36.

“When that happens it’s a fantastic team.”

NEWCASTLE V CITY

We will have full coverage of Friday’s game right here on ManCity.com 

Live text updates in our Matchday Centre will begin at 18:00. 

And our We’re Not Really Here studio show starts at 18:55. Kevin Horlock and Gareth Taylor are our guests for this one. 

Short highlights are available from midnight - and CITY+ subscribers can also watch a full 90-minute replay from midnight.