Manchester City press conference: Pep Guardiola on Premier League title race, team news latest

We have to break Bournemouth's run, otherwise it will be over - Guardiola

Bournemouth v Man City (Tue, 19:30 BST)

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola began his news conference by highlighting Bournemouth's unbeaten run, which has reached 17 games in all competitions (excluding penalty shootouts).

"It’s a different competition [to Saturday] but of course it's better to travel to Bournemouth with the feeling that we won the FA Cup, than the opposite," said Guardiola.

“Bournemouth are 17 games unbeaten so the run is unbelievable. This season again, what they have done with losing three players from the back four who had success last season, and still again they do it.

“The only chance we have [to win the league] is to win the game so we have to break that run, otherwise it will be over.”

Guardiola's final farewell?

Bournemouth v Man City (Tue, 19:30 BST)

Shamoon Hafez

Manchester City reporter

It's the beginning of a defining week for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola, with Monday and Tuesday deciding whether the Premier League title race goes to the wire or comes to an abrupt halt.

Arsenal face already-relegated Burnley tonight and City know they are likely to need to collect three points at Bournemouth on Tuesday, otherwise it will all be over.

City have already won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup this season, but can they make it a domestic treble?

And with speculation swirling over Guardiola's future at the club, is this the Spaniard's final farewell?

He made a point of taking a picture with the trophy and each of his staff at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, a keepsake for all involved.

The 55-year-old insisted in a couple of interviews last week that he has "one year remaining on his contract" at Etihad Stadium, but has not explicitly said he will still be at the club next season.

Guardiola is due to speak to the media shortly before their trip to Vitality Stadium.

I'm here, I have a contract - Guardiola

Bournemouth v Man City (Tue, 19:30 BST)

Manchester City

Despite the speculation over his future, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has said time and again over the past few months that he will stay for at least the final year of his contract next season.

Asked in his pre-match news conference for Saturday's FA Cup final whether Saturday could be his final trip to Wembley, Guardiola said "no way".

In an interview with BBC Sport, he added: "I'm here, I have a contract.

"Oh my God, the people have asked me that question for a long, long time. I know the answer, you should know the answer. I'm here, and I'm here at the end of the season."

Does 'manager' Alonso have more control?

Chelsea v Tottenham (Tue, 20:15 BST)

Sami Mokbel

BBC Sport Senior football correspondent on Football Daily podcast

I was surprised to a point with Xabi Alonso taking the job on in the sense that I'm sure he would have other options if he was to bide his time and stay put.

I know Chelsea are going through a period not necessarily linked to the vast success they had during the Roman Abramovich era, and there is a transition away from that era, but they are still one of European football's iconic clubs.

When the opportunity comes to join a club of that size, certainly one in London in the Premier League, I think managers like Alonso would be silly to just disregard and dismiss it.

There is going to be a surprise he's taken this job given his standing in the game and the job he did at Bayer Leverkusen and the facts he's one of the most exciting young managers in European football.

If Chelsea can give him the control he wants in terms of recruitment and other areas of the club then they have got a really good manager there now.

What time has told us in the era under the American ownership is that the head coach doesn't generally have much control over recruitment and the footballing operation. What is pertinent here is that Alonso has been given the title of manager instead of head coach.

That might be a symbolic gesture but I think it indicates that the ownership are willing to give Alonso a greater say in how the club is run from a football perspective, but also almost certainly in regards to recruitment.

The bottom line for him in his first season will be to qualify for the Champions League. In terms of the way Chelsea are set up financially, and what they spend in the transfer market, they require the financial input that Champions League football brings.

'We're up there with anyone in Europe'

Chelsea v Tottenham (Tue, 20:15 BST)

Chelsea

Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane on the changes the team has faced this season: "But there's also been a lot of change. There's also been a lot that's gone on at the club that it's not my place to say what's right or wrong, but that can affect momentum, that can affect the group.

"But when this group is at their best, I think we're up there with anyone in Europe. So how do we produce that on a more consistent basis? That's what we'll be looking at the end of the season. That's what we'll be trying to help the group with. And also, they have to want to produce that and they're capable of doing that. But for now, it's two games left to get six points, hopefully, and push up the table as far as we can."

'Need to do it more on a consistent basis'

Chelsea v Tottenham (Tue, 20:15 BST)

Chelsea

More from Calum McFarlane on Chelsea's FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City: "Yeah, it's hard in such a small sample size to make that call. I think when I say that we've seen what they're capable of and they need to do it on a more consistent basis, I felt like with all the injuries we've got in our squad, we went toe to toe with Man City and it was an even game.

"It was a 50-50 game in my opinion. Semenyo decided the game with a bit of quality, but there was other instances where that could have been a Chelsea player that decides that game. I think that shows the level of this group, the quality of this group. And we haven't done it on a consistent basis, otherwise we wouldn't be where we are in the league."

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