Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City experienced one of their poorest showings recently, suffering a 2-0 defeat against Michael Carrick’s Manchester United on Saturday. Richard Keys has made a striking assertion regarding Guardiola‘s future with the team in his post-match commentary.
The red side of Manchester reclaimed bragging rights after their 3-0 loss earlier this season, thanks to goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Patrick Dorgu in the second half at Old Trafford.
The visitors’ two-goal deficit did not accurately reflect their performance, as they struggled throughout the match. Guardiola, who has secured six league titles since moving from Bayern Munich to City in 2016, failed to inspire his high-priced squad, resulting in a significant setback in the ongoing 2025/26 Premier League title battle.
Keys Makes Sensational Guardiola Claim Following Man Utd 2-0 Man City
This defeat positions Aston Villa to potentially surpass City in the standings if they secure a win over Everton on Sunday, further diminishing City’s hopes of clinching the title, especially with Arsenal currently holding a substantial lead.
Following a trophy-less season last year, concerns are growing about Guardiola’s future if results do not improve, especially after he recently spent £65 million on Antoine Semenyo. Although he signed a new two-year contract in November 2024, which extends until the summer of 2027, the recent firing of Enzo Maresca has led to skepticism about whether he will remain if performance does not pick up.
Keys, during beIN Sports’ post-match analysis, boldly claimed that Guardiola might not be in charge for City’s next Premier League matchup against Wolverhampton Wanderers on January 24. He stated, “I think it’s guaranteed that Guardiola will leave at the end of the season, but… don’t discount the possibility of him departing this week.”
While his associate, Andy Gray, exclaimed “Enough is enough,” Keys added that if Guardiola does leave soon, Maresca would likely take over for the Wolves match. “City will be furious; they will deny it, but this is definitely on his mind,” he asserted.
Though Guardiola is considered one of football’s greatest managers, it seems he may no longer have the magic to lead his team to titles, as illustrated last season when Liverpool clinched the championship with four games left to play. This moment was always on the horizon, no matter how much it might sting.
