Guardiola preparing to field a ‘weak’ team against United

Pep Guardiola planning to field a weakened City side against United [Photo: Courtesy]

Manchester City only need one win to be declared this season’s Premier League champions after stellar season.

The Pep Guardiola led side are sitting comfortable on top of the table with 84 points, leaving behind second place Manchester United with 16 points with only seven games remaining. This means if City win their next match, which is against the Red Devils on Saturday at Etihad, they will be 19 points above United and will be champions since United will not be able to catch up with them even if they win all the remaining matches.

It is obvious that United will not be willing to let City win the league on Saturday and therefore will play their best players to ensure they secure a draw, if not a win.

Pep has run a stellar campaign with City this season [Photo: Courtesy]

Manchester City knows they still have the opportunity to win the league in their next fixture, if not against United, with Pep Guardiola hinting that he will likely rest players to focus on the Champions League quarter-final clash against Premier League rivals Liverpool.

However, his position on the Manchester derby could change if his side will win the first leg of the Champions League against Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday evening.

Jose Mourinho will not let City win the league against his side United [Photo: Courtesy]

After City’s comfortable win over Everton in the weekend, Guardiola was quoted by The Mirror saying, “Of course I want to win against United at home but we have three days before we have Liverpool, after we have three days before United and after we have three days before the second leg so few recovery days.

“You have to use all the squad but that doesn’t mean the guys who play are not going to prepare to win. If we are in the position, we are now in the Premier League it is because everyone has made his own contribution.

"That is going to happen. But I am sorry, as a manager, now Liverpool will occupy all my head,” he added.