Pep says he will still trust his Man City players - even if they blow the title

Pep Guardiola says he has complete trust in his Manchester City players – even if they come up short in the title race.

City, a point behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand, are bidding to win a record fourth successive league title. If City win all four of their remaining games – starting on Saturday against Wolves – they will be crowned champions once again.

But Guardiola said his players could end up losing all four games – to blow the title – and he would still have total faith in them.

“We could lose all four games and that means I don’t trust my players?” said Guardiola. “It’s impossible. There's no chance of that.

“I see them and I still feel what they are doing. It’s not about winning or losing that will change my opinion about this season, in terms of what they have done.

“If we win two prizes [Premier League title and FA Cup] and win the third and fourth of the season [after Super Cup and Club World Cup] it’s not going to change at all my opinion about that – or about the club - if we win the title or not.

“Of course we want it, but we're fighting for something no team in this country has ever done, so of course it’s a big challenge and we want it. But my opinion? Does it depend on whether we win it or not? No chance. I love them so much.”

City's 2-0 win at Nottingham Forest last weekend was Guardiola's 300th Premier League game, a total the 53-year-old is proud to have reached.

“It's a good milestone and I'm so proud we've done it here together,” said Guardiola. “But 300 more? No.

“Sometimes I'm tired, but I don't have to play, I don't run, that's why it's fine. It's good to be here, in the final of the FA Cup and challenging again to retain the title.”

Guardiola said the expectation on him and his players to win all the time is both a burden and a blessing.

“It’s so demanding, but it's better,” said Guardiola. “If I don't train City, Barcelona or Bayern Munich, the people wouldn't demand that.

“But it's happened since day one when I became a manager, especially since the season we won the Treble at Barcelona. I failed at Bayern Munich as I didn’t win the Champions League and I would have failed here if Ederson hadn't saved from Romelu Lukaku in last minute of the final, so I have to accept it.

“But it's better because I'm in a position, with these teams, where the people demand that we have to win everything But I know how difficult everything is and I know exactly when we can do it and when we can't.

“I learned, over many years, in football and in sport, that you can't always win, so you have to accept it, improve and go to the next one.”