Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. Photo: Carl Recine/Reuters

MANCHESTER - Pep Guardiola has said there is no chance he will quit as Manchester City manager at the end of the season, even if they miss out on a third consecutive Premier League title.

City have slipped to fourth in the table and a 3-1 defeat by leaders Liverpool two weeks ago left Guardiola's team nine points off the top.

"Why should people think I'm not happy here? Because we lost at Anfield or I've lost three games this season? That's an odd reason to say I'm not happy or satisfied to be here," he told reporters.

Guardiola will complete four years at City at the end of this campaign, matching his spell at Barcelona before he chose to step down.

After setting records for goals scored and points tally with City over the last two seasons, the Spanish coach said he is enjoying the challenge of trying to topple Liverpool.

"I love to be in this position," said Guardiola, who is contracted with City until the end of the 2020-21 season.

"If they (the club's hierarchy) decide the results are getting worse then they are going to take a decision, that’s normal."

Ahead of Saturday's match against Chelsea, Guardiola said the deficit means his players have no room for further slip-ups.

"You never always win in sport. It's part of normality. People say: 'It's gone, it's over' but the people, the pundits – all of them – have to remember that it's November," he added.

"Until May, we are the Champions and we want to defend that until the end."

Reuters