'You want to sack me?!' - Pep Guardiola plays down talk of Roberto De Zerbi succeeding him at Man City but admits the Brighton boss could manage 'all the teams around the world'

• Guardiola praises De Zerbi
• Says Italian can coach top club
• Doesn't want to have a say in who his successor is

WHAT HAPPENED? The City boss has long expressed his admiration for De Zerbi, comparing the Brighton coach to a Michelin-starred restaurant. And last May he reportedly told Brighton players that the Italian was going to be the next City coach. Guardiola was taken by surprise when asked if De Zerbi could take his job at the Etihad ahead of Saturday's meeting with the Seagulls, but he insisted the Italian would be suited for working at one of Europe's most demanding clubs.

WHAT THEY SAID: "You want to sack me? I don't remember that, maybe I have bad memory. I'm sure Roberto can train in any team," Guardiola told a press conference. "I don't have any doubt. He can train Brighton and all the teams around the world. They are top, I was appointed as Barcelona's first team coach from the fourth division with no experience. Doesn't mean you have to be at top clubs to be manager of top clubs. The sporting director has an idea, hires a manager with the idea, hires players with the idea. If it's not the same position now you are in trouble. City have done it, Liverpool with Jurgen [Klopp], winning titles. You can lose but always you are stable. This is the advice I give to the club."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Guardiola's latest contract with Man City runs until 2025. It is believed that he will leave the club when the latest deal expires although he said he would not have any say in who eventually succeeds him. "None of my business. If the chairman asks my opinion I will give it," he added. "I'm not sporting director. Not my responsibility to say right or wrong. I have friends here. If they ask a question. I don't know how many years for this idea the way we play. Continue with the idea. The players we want, I say keep going with that. I don't take the decisions."

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY? The champions host Brighton on Saturday hoping to avoid a third consecutive Premier League defeat after losing to Wolves and Arsenal in their previous outings.