Guardiola Focused On Liverpool Clash Amid Speculation Over Man City Future

Pep Guardiola is keeping attention on Manchester City’s FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool, rather than talk about leaving the club. Reports suggest Guardiola could depart at the end of this season, even though the current contract with Manchester City runs until the close of the 2026-27 campaign.

The match at Etihad Stadium comes during a busy period, with Manchester City still fighting on three domestic fronts. Guardiola’s team already lifted the EFL Cup before the international break, beating Arsenal 2-0 to claim the trophy for a fifth time under the current manager.

Speculation around Guardiola’s future grew after stories claimed the 55-year-old might not see out the deal. When asked about those rumours, Guardiola refused to offer any

fresh clues. "I spoke many times about that," said Guardiola, who again pointed back to the time remaining on the contract.

Guardiola instead stressed the need to prepare for Liverpool. Manchester City are chasing a domestic treble this season, with the Premier League title race, the FA Cup and another competition still open. In the league, Manchester City sit nine points behind Arsenal but hold one game in hand.

This FA Cup tie is the seventh meeting between Manchester City and Liverpool in the competition. Manchester City advanced from the first two ties after replays in the 1955-56 and 1972-73 seasons. Liverpool then took control, winning each of the last four FA Cup clashes, including the 2021-22 semi-final before lifting that season’s trophy.

There is a different pattern in league meetings this campaign. Manchester City have already completed a Premier League double over Liverpool this season. Another victory on Saturday would give Manchester City three straight wins against Liverpool in all competitions for the first time since a four-match run finished in March 1937.

The last club to defeat Liverpool three times in a single season was West Ham in 2015-16. That statistic underlines how demanding this quarter-final could be, despite Manchester City’s recent success in the matchup. Nevertheless, Guardiola expects another very strong challenge from Arne Slot’s side at Etihad Stadium.

"They have been the biggest rival," Guardiola said. "It is a team that made an incredible investment last season to be there for many years. They are a top contender with top-class players. Hopefully we can perform at the level that we did against Arsenal to reach the next step [in the competition]. "

Key recent results for Manchester City under Guardiola provide context for the current push:

Guardiola’s focus on performance over contract noise reflects Manchester City’s wider priorities. With the club still chasing major domestic success, including this FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool, attention inside the camp remains fixed on immediate results rather than long-term uncertainty surrounding the manager’s position.

Straight to work pic.twitter.com/anA4BxsBUPManchester City (@ManCity) April 2, 2026