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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola insists he would stay at the club even if they were relegated to League One should they be found guilty of breaking Premier League financial rules.<\/p>\n
City\u2019s fate has been brought back into focus following Everton\u2019s 10-point deduction last week, but Guardiola insists the two cases are completely separate.<\/p>\n
The Toffees were docked 10 points for breaching rules over a three-year period, while City are awaiting a ruling after being charged in February with more than 100 alleged breaches of the competition\u2019s financial fair play regulations between 2009 and 2018. The club denies all the charges.<\/p>\n
Asked whether there could be any severity of punishment which would make him consider his position, Guardiola replied: \u201cIt\u2019s a good question. I will answer when I have the sentence.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are questioning like we have been punished. And in the moment we are innocent until guilt is proven. I know the people want it. I know, I feel it. I will wait.<\/p>\n
\u201cWait and see it and after the sentence has been done we will come here and explain it. But absolutely I will not consider my future (if) it depends (on) being here or being in League One. Absolutely.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is more chance to stay if we are in League One than if we were in the Champions League.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guardiola claims people have already decided that City are guilty and are already clamouring for them to be relegated, especially after the severity of Everton\u2019s punishment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know when people are saying, \u2018OK, City, why don\u2019t they go to the Conference?\u2019 Wait. Wait,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\nI will not consider my future (if) it depends (on) being here or being in League One. Absolutely.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\u201cAnd after what\u2019s going to happen is going to happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you read [what is said] then we should be relegated, relegated, relegated, yeah, of course, but nobody knows exactly. All the people who say that didn\u2019t read the statements, don\u2019t know exactly what happened. Not even myself, I didn\u2019t read all the breaches, I didn\u2019t read our defence.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut wait. What I said a month ago \u2013 OK, if we\u2019ve done something wrong we\u2019ll be punished. But wait \u2013 we can defend ourselves can\u2019t we?<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat people accuse us of we do not agree with what they say, we are going to defend [ourselves] and after the resolution is done, I will be here, like a spokesman for my club.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to say the case for Everton, and I don\u2019t know what happened, but only I know from the lawyers and people at my club and the lawyers is that they are completely different cases. That\u2019s why you cannot compare because every case is completely different.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe other one is longer because it is more complicated because it\u2019s 115 breaches. So wait. Then after with the lawyers from both sides present their cases in front of the judge and the verdict and after I will say in front of you and you can ask me the question.\u201d<\/p>\n
The topic overshadowed the build-up to one of the blockbusting Premier League fixtures as City welcome rivals Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime.<\/p>\n
Guardiola hopes that Erling Haaland is fit after he withdrew from international duty with Norway with an injury, but there are several other injury concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe trained yesterday with some niggles, today we train and hope he can be part of it,\u201d Guardiola said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a few problems like many clubs, we\u2019ll see after our last training sessions, we\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will know at 6pm who we have available, it\u2019s always plan A.\u201d<\/p>\n