Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has warned that no player at his club is safe as he prepares to turn the tables on runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool through a summer transfer rebuild of his squad.
City accumulated a staggering 198 points over the previous two seasons to land back-to-back Premier League crowns but while Jurgen Klopp's men – pipped to the title last term despite a club record 97 point haul – have raised the bar even higher in the current campaign, Guardiola's side have been left in their wake.
The undefeated Reds have won 21 of their 22 Premier League games to date to build up a 14 point lead at the summit, while nearest challengers City, despite having played a game more, have been beaten five times.
Guardiola admitted that the wealthy and ambitious owners at the Etihad will be closely monitoring the performances of both himself and his expensively-assembled squad and everyone is fighting for their future.
Quoted by the Evening Standard , Guardiola said: "My bosses have one eye to see if I deserve to continue here.
“My eyes have to control my players and how their performances deserve to be here. There is no other solution.
“I have an idea what we need. We speak quite often with the club.
“There are still four months and it depends on that. We are going to take a decision.
“Everything is related to the performance, not about the contract we have or what we are. For me as a manager (I’m) being observed and it’s the same for the players.”
Although City find themselves well off the pace in what has become a parade rather than a title race this season, Guardiola remains adamant that major surgery is not required among personnel to get his side challenging again.
He said: “We are not far away to get the standards (of Liverpool).
“The way we’ve played is quite similar.
“I think every season all the teams move a little bit of the squad. Some have to move a lot in some areas. Maybe we have to buy some new players. Not much some new players.”
