Busy schedule the reason why Pep is still in charge at City!

PEP Guardiola has had plenty to say about the football calendar recently, but the City boss admits the relentless nature of the schedule might have helped him survive as long as he has at the Etihad.

- TYRONE MARSHALL

The Catalan is the second longest-serving manager in the Premier League behind Jurgen Klopp and only two managers at the 72 EFL clubs have lasted longer than Guardiola and Klopp in their roles.

Guardiola has been in the job seven years and 98 days when he takes his City side to Arsenal today, for what will be his 426th game in charge of the club.

That is more than the 408 matches he managed combined during spells in charge of Barcelona and Bayern Munich and only Les McDowall has managed more games for the Blues, taking charge of 592 fixtures during his 13 years in charge from 1950 to 1963.

Such longevity is unusual in the modern game and Guardiola admits he has often wondered how his players have never got sick of him during his trophy-laden years in Manchester.