WHO: Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur
What: English Premier League Football
where: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, United Kingdom
when: Saturday at 5:30 pm (17:30 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have all the build-up to the game and full text commentary.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he will stay with the Premier League champions until the end of his contract, even if he pulls out, a day after signing. A two-year extension Which will keep him at the club until 2027.

Guardiola, who joined City in 2016, has won 18 trophies with the club, including six Premier League titles and their first Champions League.

The city is confused by the hearing. Alleged violation of the league’s financial fair play rulesHowever, that could potentially subject them to points deductions, fines and deportation if convicted. Guardiola has always defended City, saying he trusted the owners, and the Spaniard said relegation would not cause him to leave the club.

“I said six months ago when all the clubs accused us of doing something wrong, what if we were relegated – I would be here,” Guardiola said ahead of Saturday’s home match against Tottenham Hotspur. told reporters. “Next year, if we’re in the Conference, we’ll be in the Premier League. I knew it then. I feel it now.”

Guardiola said he had agreed a new contract in “just two hours”, and when asked why he signed the two-year extension, joked that it was because He loves the weather in Manchester. “That’s a good question. I don’t want next season – in September, October, November – ‘this is Pep’s last year.’ I don’t want to be in this position,” he added.

“I would like to stay two years, but I know it won’t be two years if the results aren’t good.”

Guardiola lost four games in a row for the first time in his managerial career before the international break, but brushed that aside to say that City are also the only club to have won four league titles in a row.

“When you’re here eight or nine years, you live in all scenarios and situations. You’re capable of losing four games in a row. One time. Me, you are capable of winning four Premier Leagues in a row,” he said. “The difference is that most teams are capable of losing four in a row in different competitions, but only one team has won four in a row in the Premier League. There can be two sides to the coin.”

But with Ballon d’Or winner Rodri potentially sidelined for the rest of the season, Guardiola suffered another blow when Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic suffered an injury on international duty. “It will be some time, three weeks or a month, more or less,” Guardiola said.

Tottenham’s inconsistency has left them in 10th place in the standings, but manager Ange Postecoglou is paying little attention to their poor form and spoke glowingly of Guardiola, who he has joined in the League Cup this month. I won.

“He’s fantastic for the Premier League. He continues to set the standard, which is great for all of us who are trying to bring him down,” the Greek-Australian told reporters.

“It’s not easy to win in different countries, and I know he’s been at big clubs, but as we’ve seen recently, it doesn’t necessarily translate into winning things all the time. You have to now. It also has to be done.

“So he’s maintained a ridiculous level of excellence. The way his team plays, they always challenge every opponent they face, and I think that’s what’s kept his energy going for so long. To keep up – it’s been fantastic.

“He’ll already go down as one of the greats, and the fact that he’s re-signed means there’s more to come.”

Manchester City Team News

Ruben Dias has been sidelined while fellow defenders John Stones and Manuel Akanji have resumed training. Nathan Ake is also set to return to training to boost a struggling backline.

Tottenham Hotspur Team News

Spurs are missing a number of players, including both of their regular center halves after Postecoglou confirmed that Cristian Romero will be unavailable along with Mickey van de Ven.

Uruguayan Rodrigo Bentenker will also be absent, having been banned for seven matches by the Football Association for making a disparaging comment about teammate Son Heung-min. Tottenham have. Appealed the length of the ban..

Head to head

Manchester City have so far won 68 of 172 meetings to Tottenham’s 67.

Spurs have a very good recent record, winning four of their last eight matches. They first met in 1909 in the FA Cup with the away team winning 4-3 in Manchester.