Manchester City is going through a rough patch. The defending Premier League champions are virtually out of the title race and facing struggles in the Champions League, with the threat of group-stage elimination looming over Pep Guardiola’s team.

Across all competitions, City endured a seven-match winless streak. After a brief return to victory, the team has once again gone two matches without a win. Such a prolonged poor run is unprecedented in Guardiola’s managerial career, leaving the Spanish coach mentally strained.

Speculations have arisen about whether Guardiola might leave City to escape the mounting pressure. Addressing this, the legendary manager dismissed the notion, stating that while the club could decide to sack him, he has no intention of leaving during such a difficult period.

Guardiola remarked, "If I leave now, I would regret it deeply. I wouldn’t be able to sleep, and the situation would only worsen. The club is free to sack me if the board is unhappy, but I cannot imagine walking away at this moment. It’s simply impossible."

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach further emphasized that he would step down only when he personally feels it is the right time to leave. Tonight, Manchester City faces Manchester United in the much-anticipated Manchester Derby at 10:30 PM, a pivotal test for Guardiola amidst these challenges.