May 9 – When Pep Guardiola agreed terms with Manchester City to take over from Manuel Pellegrini next season, he surely did so with the prospect of having another crack at the Champions League as well as turning his many talents to taking City back to the top of the pack domestically.
Instead, the outgoing Bayern Munich and former Barcelona boss faces the real prospect of having to be content with Europa League football.
City’s failure to beat Arsenal on Sunday means their top-four spot could be snatched away by rivals Manchester united if Louis van Gaal’s side win their last two games.
Since Pellegrini announced on 1 February that he would be replaced by Pep Guardiola at the end of the season, City have won only six of 14 league matches.
Finishing outside the Champions League places will be anathema to City’s ambitious Abu Dhabi owners as well as a blow to Guardiola, who will be hoping United slip up to avoid placing him in unfamiliar as well as unwanted Europa League territory when he arrives to take charge in the summer.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734982878labto1734982878ofdlr1734982878owedi1734982878sni@w1734982878ahsra1734982878w.wer1734982878dna1734982878