Win-addict Guardiola making City unstoppable

Pep Guardiola's ability to bend the Premier League to his will was once questioned but the Manchester City manager has seen off the early doubters during a period of unprecedented dominance, with his latest triumph making City the first side in English football history to win four top division titles in a row.

Since a difficult first campaign at the Etihad in 2016/17, Guardiola has established a remarkable record that now stands at six Premier League titles in seven seasons.

The Spaniard has turned City into a winning machine similar to those he oversaw at Barcelona and Bayern Munich in his first years as a globe-trotting manager.

The 53-year-old has now won 12 league titles in 15 seasons as a senior coach across three of the toughest divisions in the world, in Spain, Germany and England.

Guardiola also has three Champions League titles to his name -- the joint second-highest tally in the history of European club football's elite competition.

With numerous other trophies in his collection, he is already one of the most decorated coaches in football history.

Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson won 13 Premier League titles in 27 campaigns at Old Trafford but Guardiola's strike rate when it comes to the grind of a 38-game season is unmatched.

In two of the three campaigns in which he has failed to win league titles, it took club-record points tallies from Liverpool (99 points in 2019/20) and Real Madrid (100 points in 2011/12) to trump the former Barcelona midfielder.

"It's a bit demanding at times. It's tough, but look what he's done," City striker Erling Haaland said of Guardiola. "He demands a lot every single day. If you don't live up to what he expects, you have a big problem."

Guardiola's influence goes well beyond lifting silverware.

Influence

His brand of passing football and insistence on building out from the back, even under pressure, is now a key part of the game from grassroots through to the elite level.

Even City's competitors have turned to Guardiola's disciples to catch up.

Second-placed Arsenal, managed by Guardiola's former assistant Mikel Arteta, narrowly missed out on their first Premier League title for 20 years this season, amassing 89 points to City's 91.

England manager Gareth Southgate praised Guardiola whose arrival to the country has coincided with an upturn in the national team's performances at major tournaments.

"It has been brilliant for our players to work with him," said Southgate. "They have learned from him, individually and tactically and, as much as anything, their mentality."

However, Guardiola's notoriously exacting standards have helped chip away at the competitiveness of the Premier League.

City are now displaying the type of dominance shown by PSG and Bayern Munich.

"There used to be an argument that clubs couldn't win the title back-to-back," said West Ham manager David Moyes after his side were unable to spoil the party following a 3-1 defeat by City at the Etihad on Sunday.

"He has blown that sky-high. Four in a row is incredible.

"Everyone in football is in awe of his coaching but there is more to it than that. He is a really good man-manager and has the ability to control players. His ability to manage is second to none."

Sadly for the competition, there appears at least one more year of the glorious Guardiola reign to come, with his contract running until 2025. But he also hinted that his future is unclear after that.

"I want to be here next season whatever happens," said Guardiola when quizzed on his future.

"The reality is I'm closer to leaving than to staying," Guardiola told Sky Sports. "It's eight years, will be nine.

Asked whether he felt as though he had "completed English football" and what he felt was left to achieve, Guardiola said: "I had that feeling last season.

"When we won in Istanbul (in the Champions League final) I said, 'It's over, what am I doing here? It's over, there's nothing left'.

"But I have a contract, I'm here and still enjoying. Some of the moments I'm a bit tired but some of the moments I love."