Manchester City

Manager Pep Guardiola won't leave Manchester City before his contract expires in 2021, according to club chief executive Ferran Soriano.

There have been doubts about how long Guardiola will remain in charge, particularly with City looking likely to relinquish the Premier League title to Liverpool.

Yet Soriano told those attending the Dubai International Sports Conference the issue is a non-starter, per Joe Bray of the Manchester Evening News: "He's said so many times that he has a contract that covers this year plus next year too. So there's no discussion about this. Pep will stay and he'll leave at the right time one day. And the club is strong enough to survive any change. But as Pep said many times, he's not leaving."

Soriano dubbed the dip in City's form which has left Guardiola's men third in the table and 14 points adrift of leaders Liverpool at the halfway point of the season as "normal." He also referenced how Guardiola set unusually high standards by winning the last two titles with a combined 198 points.

Earlier this month, the Daily Mail's Mike Keegan revealed there is a clause in Guardiola's contract that could let him leave a year early. Guardiola subsequently denied the existence of such a clause.

Meanwhile, Guardiola's father, Valenti Guardiola, said his son could one day return to former club Barcelona as coach, per Marca (h/t Gary Stonehouse of The Sun).

There is no arguing with Guardiola's success since he took over at City in 2016. He achieved absolute dominance of the domestic game the last two years, including a clean sweep of league title, Carabao Cup and FA Cup trophies last season.

However, the Champions League has eluded Guardiola's City. High-profile defeats to AS Monaco, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur mean Guardiola has failed to make it past the quarter-final stage with City.

Pep Guardiola, knowing he'll be judged on winning the Champions League this season, drawing Real Madrid after winning their group 🙃#UCLdraw pic.twitter.com/twTjMeCl4E

— GOAL (@goal) December 16, 2019

His predecessor, Manuel Pellegrini, narrowly lost in the last four to eventual winners Real Madrid in 2016. City have drawn Los Blancos, winners of four of the last six tournaments, in the first knockout phase this season.

Guardiola, who lifted the famous trophy twice while in charge at Barca, is aware of the importance of City conquering the continent, per Simon Mullock of the Sunday Mirror: "If we win the Champions League, we will have arrived, but it is so complicated and so difficult. The Champions League is about arriving in the right moment—and you also need some luck."

This season could be Guardiola's best opportunity after the 48-year-old called the gap to Liverpool in England's top flight "too big," per BBC Sport. He spoke after watching the Citizens blow a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday.

2 - Wolves are just the second team to complete a league double against a side managed by Pep Guardiola after Chelsea in 2016-17. Specialists. #WOLMCI pic.twitter.com/yyuc7Ss7v8

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 27, 2019

🐺 Wolves: 62.2% possession
🔵 Man City: 37.8% possession pic.twitter.com/WEH7WD3XFC

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) December 28, 2019

If City opt to focus more on Europe, Guardiola still has a squad talented enough to go all the way. Few teams can match the attacking quality of Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva.

Having a key defender such as centre-back Aymeric Laporte fully fit in time will be vital against Real in the last 16 on February 26. Success in this tie could well be the deciding factor in how long Guardiola ultimately commits to the Citizens.

Pep Guardiola thinks the Premier League title race is over after Manchester City lost 3-2 to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday night. 

City were 2-0 up at Molineux, despite having goalkeeper Ederson sent off after 12 minutes. The lead slipped away when Adama Traore, Raul Jimenez and Matt Doherty hit back for Wolves.

The result has left City 14 points behind leaders Liverpool, and Guardiola offered a bleak assessment of his side's chances of retaining the title to BBC Radio 5 Live (h/t BBC Sport): "The advantage is too big, yes. It's unrealistic to think about Liverpool, we think about Leicester. We have the chance to recover second place. I know the quality of my team but that's the situation."

Admitting he and his squad are playing for second with half of the league campaign still to go may sound defeatist from Guardiola. However, it's also a realistic appraisal of his team's ability to claw back twice the points deficit they retrieved to retain the title last season.

The Reds have yet to lose in the league this season, and not even the extra strain of winning the FIFA Club World Cup has slowed their momentum. Liverpool returned from the tournament to beat second-place Leicester City 4-0 away from home on Boxing Day.

Leicester losing opened the door for City to take second spot, but familiar defensive failings put paid to those hopes.

23 - Manchester City have conceded 23 Premier League goals in 19 games this season - as many as they conceded in the entirety of the 2018/19 campaign. Worrying. pic.twitter.com/rUu5Udmnj8

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 27, 2019

A threadbare unit still missing the services of key centre-back Aymeric Laporte, who has been out with a long-term knee injury, continues to undermine City's considerable attacking talent.

A team capable of scoring goals in bunches but unable to keep clean sheets will always be found out over the course of a long league campaign. Yet the same team can be effective in the shorter, knockout-style format of cup competitions.

City won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup last season and still harbour ambitions of winning the UEFA Champions League. Even so, Guardiola is not ready to declare cup success his priority just yet: "We cannot prioritise or next season we'll not be in Europe. We come back in less than 40 hours to play another game (against Sheffield United). We'll see how (the players) feel. That's what we are going to do."

Raheem Sterling's brace against Wolves, with the second of those goals assisted by Kevin De Bruyne, showed City retain quality in attack few teams can match. De Bruyne and Sterling will welcome the return to fitness of Sergio Augero, even though the striker's comeback was ended after just 13 minutes when he made way for Claudio Bravo, following Ederson's red card:

Sergio Aguero starts for Manchester City for the first time since November 23 💪 pic.twitter.com/Y59jiV5G6u

— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 27, 2019

For all his match-winners up top, there isn't the same level of talent at the base of Guardiola's team, where left-back Benjamin Mendy remains error-prone after his culpability in Wolves' equaliser. Meanwhile, converted holding midfielder Fernandinho hasn't convinced as a makeshift central defender in Laporte's absence. Fernandinho's case hasn't been helped by Nicolas Otamendi's shaky performances next to him.

A paucity of talent at the back is just one problem facing Guardiola, who needs to find new ways to refresh an ageing squad after some questionable spending, according to James Ducker of The Daily Telegraph:

https://twitter.com/TelegraphDucker/status/1210689985445281792

The decision not to sign a replacement for former skipper Vincent Kompany, who left for Anderlecht in the summer, looks increasingly like a major misstep from Guardiola. Adding an established centre-back would have provided credible cover for Laporte.

Having none is the main reason the Citizens have failed to keep pace with Liverpool the way they did last season.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said the club doesn't have any plans to sign a replacement for David Silva at the end of the campaign.

Silva will leave the Etihad Stadium when this term concludes, calling time on an incredible spell in Manchester. The 33-year-old is considered one of the best players to grace the Premier League, winning the competition on four occasions with City.

The former Spain international's departure will leave a significant void in the City squad in terms of both quality and leadership. However, Guardiola said he's happy with his midfield options, per Alex Shaw of Goal:

"I don't think we're going to do anything in this position, I don't think we will sign anyone. Maybe I will change my mind, it depends on the next six months, but I have other priorities and I don't think I'm going to buy because I have enough.

"Bernardo [Silva] can play there, Phil [Foden] is there, we have [Ilkay] Gundogan, we have Kevin [De Bruyne] so I don't think we will do anything in this position. That is my thought today, we will see at the end of the season."

According to James Robson of the Evening Standard, City want to strengthen in other areas in the summer:

City don’t plan on replacing Silva in the summer. Priorities elsewhere - namely a world class CB.
Could be good news for Foden #mcfc

— James Robson (@jamesalanrobson) December 26, 2019

Silva joined City in the summer of 2010, and he's regarded as one of the best players in the history of the club. The Spain star's technical quality, awareness and passing range has been central to City's status as the Premier League's most dominant side in recent years.

Per The Sportsman, Silva is also durable, with only three players making more top-flight appearances than him in England this decade:

👊 Most Premier League appearances this decade...

- Jordan Henderson: 306

- James Milner: 305

- Ben Foster: 303

- David Silva: 297

- Kyle Walker: 277

- Mark Noble: 275

- Petr Cech: 274

- Ryan Shawcross: 272 pic.twitter.com/QAxLXpagQ0

— BettingOdds (@BettingOddsUK) December 24, 2019

With Vincent Kompany leaving the club at the end of last season and Silva on the move next summer, City are on the cusp of a new era.

Phil Foden will be hoping to be part of the next generation, having been on the fringes of the first team for the past couple of seasons at City. Earlier in the campaign, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher made a case for the 19-year-old to be starting more games:

Column on @ManCity David Silva, one of the greatest players we’ve seen in the @premierleague but it’s now time for Phil Foden!

https://t.co/j2IYoiV0C2

— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) December 13, 2019

Even with Silva moving on, City do have incredible depth in midfield positions, with De Bruyne among the standout players in the Premier League this season. Foden will also be 20 come the start of next season and will be itching to show off his talent on a more consistent basis.

However, Guardiola will no doubt take stock over the course of the coming months. The club's owner, City Football Group, has shown in the past that it is happy to back the manager in the transfer market with huge funds, and overcoming Silva's departure will be the biggest challenge the team faces next term.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is hopeful that "irreplaceable" striker Sergio Aguero will remain at the Etihad Stadium beyond the end of his contract.

Aguero's deal is due to expire in 2021, the same year in which he would celebrate 10 years at the Etihad.

The Argentina international has failed to start in City's past five Premier League games because of injury. But even having had to deal with the 31-year-old's absence for several periods during his time in charge, Guardiola told reporters of the predicament he faces in attempting to replace his frontman: 

"Sergio is irreplaceable. It'll be one of the toughest asks to replace him. We have another incredible striker in Gabriel Jesus and maybe another one will come when Sergio leaves but he's irreplaceable.

"I haven't spoken with him and don't know his intentions. Sometimes you've to take a decision but with most of the cases the players decide.

"He's done incredibly well. I've never seen a big star like him be so humble, so funny. It's a joy to work with him and how he accepts my decisions when it sometimes doesn't work for him."

Jesus has scored 11 goals in 23 appearances this season and is on course to record the most prolific campaign of his career (he matched his best of 21 strikes last season).

The Brazil international is considered the heir apparent behind Aguero, who famously scored in injury time against Queens Park Rangers to secure the club's maiden Premier League crown in 2012.

Throwback to when Balotelli provided the assist to one of the BIGGEST goals in #MCFC’s history ⚽️🤯

Here’s THAT goal from Sergio Aguero in 2012 that secured the #PL title 🏆https://t.co/4SsTtrSiU8

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) March 4, 2019

BBC Sport's Simon Stone wrote that Aguero is expected to move back to his native Argentina when he does leave the Etihad.

Jesus recently spoke to The Sun and highlighted the fact that Aguero "is not young any more like me," adding his time has come to succeed his fellow South American in attack (h/t Goal's Chris Burton).

The former Palmeiras prodigy hasn't displayed quite the same reliability in front of goal as Aguero early in his City career, having only recently ended a scoring drought at the Etihad:

⚽️ Gabriel Jesus ends a run of 11 home apps without a goal, dating back to March - his 1st home PL goal since v Wolves on Jan 14
🅰️ Kevin De Bruyne records his 10th assist in PL this season, 3 more than any player pic.twitter.com/PKuusjkZZ8

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) December 21, 2019

Aguero has 173 goals in 252 games for City and last extended his contract in September 2018. He has a little more than 18 months remaining on that deal, while Jesus' contract will run until 2023. The 22-year-old, who has 56 goals in 124 games for City, has time to grow into his role as successor and has already been responsible for clinching history with the club:

Who can forget the moment when Gabriel Jesus's dinked goal made history with 💯 Premier League points?

Record-breaking viewing for @ManCity fans and @Sproza24 this #Christmas 🤩 pic.twitter.com/dwB4HkuJHk

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 25, 2019

City travel to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday, hopeful of reducing the 14-point gap that sits between them and Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Monday he will "try to stay" at the Premier League club next season.

Guardiola told reporters he is happy at the Etihad Stadium but has to wait and see if he deserves a new contract with the Premier League champions:

"This is my fourth season, next season will be the fifth because I try to stay next season. It is a long time. I am incredibly good here. I have to see if I deserve a new contract. The level has increased a lot and expectations are higher and we have to see if we can handle it. It is not just up to me.

“Now we have a break with the family and prepare (for) Wolves and the rest. We have time to think about it in the future."

The Spaniard's current contract with the club runs until 2021. He has previously said he plans to see out the deal and has no plans to leave early:

Pep Guardiola reiterated his commitment to serving the full term of his contract with Manchester City and denied reports that the contract had a 'break clause' that could allow him to leave at the end of the season https://t.co/vRf5e3oLZQ pic.twitter.com/sImh7Sssj8

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 14, 2019

Guardiola has enjoyed great success since joining Manchester City in 2016. He has guided the Citizens to two Premier League titles, the FA Cup and two League Cups, racking up records along the way:

100 – Man City’s haul of 100 points is the most won by an English top-flight side in a single campaign. Ton. pic.twitter.com/lvrYzxP59x

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 13, 2018

157 - Manchester City have scored 157 goals in all competitions this season, the most by any side in English top-flight history, overtaking their own record from 2013-14. Entertainers. #MUNMCI

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 24, 2019

Yet the Spaniard has never managed a club for more than four years in his career.

He left Barcelona after a glittering four-year spell that brought a glut of trophies, including two UEFA Champions League titles.

Guardiola took a year off and then spent three years at Bayern Munich, winning three Bundesliga titles with the German giants before joining City.

However, he appears unlikely to win a third Premier League title with Sky Blues in 2019-20. The champions are already 11 points behind leaders Liverpool and have played a game more than the Reds.

Manchester City's decline this season suggests a squad overhaul may be needed, although Guardiola has said "we don’t have to rebuild too much," per Goal's Chris Burton.

The club will also need to find a replacement for assistant manager Mikel Arteta, who has been appointed Arsenal's permanent boss.

Guardiola's latest comments suggest he will be around next season, but it still remains to be seen if he is willing to extend his tenure with the club past 2021.

Former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has encouraged the club to do their utmost to keep hold of manager Pep Guardiola amid rumours he could leave the Etihad Stadium this summer.

The Citizens don't look likely to win a third successive Premier League title this season. They are currently third in the table and 11 points behind the Reds, who have one game in hand.

Kompany—who left City this past summer after 11 years at the club—spoke to Sky Sports and attested to his former boss' managerial pedigree despite their title prospects dropping this term:

Is Pep Guardiola the best manager in the world? 🌍

"If I was in a deciding position at City now, I would do everything I can to keep Pep or as long as I can."

Vincent Kompany says #MCFC must keep Pep Guardiola in charge: https://t.co/7LehLLYt0i pic.twitter.com/SI3Y9Dg6dA

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 23, 2019

The ex-Belgium international said: "If I was in a deciding position at City now, (then) I would do everything I can to keep Pep (Guardiola) for as long as I can. He is truly the best. To say anyone will ever come near, it is speculating in a ludicrous way."

City collected 32 points from their first 16 games of the Premier League campaign, the lowest tally Guardiola has accumulated in that timeframe with any club during his managerial career.

The Catalan coach is contracted at the Etihad until 2021 and recently denied speculation of an alleged break clause allowing him to leave this summer, via Reuters:

Pep Guardiola reiterated his commitment to serving the full term of his contract with Manchester City and denied reports that the contract had a 'break clause' that could allow him to leave at the end of the season https://t.co/vRf5e3oLZQ pic.twitter.com/sImh7Sssj8

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 14, 2019

Kompany, 33, made 360 appearances for City before leaving to take up an initial player-coach role at boyhood club Anderlecht.

Guardiola's campaign suffered another blow after assistant manager Mikel Arteta left to join Arsenal as their new first-team coach Friday.

Arteta joined City's coaching staff following his retirement in 2016, and The Athletic's Sam Lee attested to Guardiola's influence spreading in England's top flight:

2016: Guardiola’s football will never work in England

2019: Guardiola’s *assistant* takes charge of the actual Arsenal

— Sam Lee (@SamLee) December 21, 2019

Kompany's absence is one key change at the Etihad this season that's had a detrimental effect, and the struggle to survive Aymeric Laporte's injury troubles has tested Guardiola's abilities.

The Citizens have dropped points in five Premier League games this season and won an unprecedented domestic treble in May, though Guardiola's lack of success in Europe thus far is a point of frustration.

City will face Real Madrid in this season's UEFA Champions League round of 16, with the team having fallen at the quarter-final stage in each of the past two tournaments.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has suggested he will at least see out the duration of his contract at the club, which expires in 2021.

Guardiola's future has been the subject of much speculation in recent weeks, but it seems he won't be departing before his deal comes to an end:

Could Guardiola follow Arteta out of Man City? 👋 pic.twitter.com/0ToPUuneK9

— GOAL (@goal) December 21, 2019

"I've said many times how incredibly good I am here, and of course I would like to stay as much as possible, so that is my desire," he said.

The Spaniard, who arrived at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, dropped a further hint he intends to see out his deal by adding that "it will be five years in one club."

However, he said he will only stay beyond 2021 if the decision is "perfect" for both himself and the club and that he is in "no rush" to sign a new deal as his contract is "not finishing in three months, four months."

At the end of this season, he will have been at City for four years, the same length of time he was in charge of Barcelona. He was at Bayern Munich for three years.

Earlier in December, Guardiola denied the existence of a break clause in his City contract:

Guardiola speaks on his Manchester City future 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/sojvkRT9Tc

— GOAL (@goal) December 14, 2019

The Sky Blues failed to win any silverware in his first season in charge—his only campaign without a trophy as a manager—and finished third, albeit with 12 more points than they had the season before.

In the past two seasons, City won back-to-back Premier League titles and Carabao Cups, as well as the FA Cup. Guardiola's side have struggled to match that incredible standard in this campaign.

They find themselves third after 17 matches, 14 points behind leaders Liverpool and the same number short of the tally they had accrued at this stage in the 2017-18 season. Last season, they were nine points better off after 17 games.

When City lost 2-1 to Manchester United on December 7, football writer Simon Curtis observed their difficulties in maintaining such lofty standards:

Big problem for Guardiola and his staff has been to keep minds focussed after the riches of the last two seasons. Coming home to roost properly now. A pace off that super-hungry level that has won City so much and that's all it takes.

— Simon Curtis (@bifana_bifana) December 7, 2019

A third consecutive Premier League title looks unlikely this season barring a significant Liverpool collapse, but City are still capable of winning the Carabao Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League with some improved form in the latter half of the season.

As for next season, it may be easier for Guardiola to drive them back to the standard they set under him, particularly with another summer of spending to enhance their squad once again.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola reportedly wants "sweeping changes" at Manchester City if he is to sign a new contract at the Etihad Stadium, with his current deal poised to expire in 2021.

Last season's English treble winners sit third in the Premier League after a difficult start to this season, and assistant manager Mikel Arteta is understood to be on the verge of becoming Arsenal manager.

Sam Lee, David Ornstein and Adam Crafton of The Athletic (h/t MailOnline's Daniel Davis) reported City will promote Rodolfo Borrell to succeed Arteta, though widespread change is expected next summer.

Earlier in December, Guardiola, 48, dismissed reports of a clause in his City contract allowing him to leave the club at the end of this season, saying he intends to at least see out the remainder of his deal, via Reuters:

Pep Guardiola reiterated his commitment to serving the full term of his contract with Manchester City and denied reports that the contract had a 'break clause' that could allow him to leave at the end of the season https://t.co/vRf5e3oLZQ pic.twitter.com/sImh7Sssj8

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 14, 2019

The Catalan coach wishes to sign at least one centre-back, a left-back and a forward at the end of this season, according to The Athletic. It's added Leroy Sane could return to action in January or February, though it's believed Bayern Munich will revive their summer interest after he shunned City's offer of a new contract.

Fulfilling Guardiola's transfer wishes next summer is "likely to be vital to his chances" of extending his City contract beyond the summer of 2021, per the report.

Aymeric Laporte is another key star whose injury absence has seriously affected City's season. Midfield anchor Fernandinho has filled in at central defence for much of the Frenchman's time out with a serious knee injury, with Guardiola often preferring the Brazilian to defender Nicolas Otamendi—even when the latter, a natural centre-back, is fit.

The Telegraph's JJ Bull commented on some of City's expensive signings in defence who haven't worked out to be the success they would have wanted:

Mendy=expensive=broken
Stones=expensive=hasn't worked out
Otamendi=expensive=isn't great

Surely you see why losing Laporte has such a huge knock-on effect? There are loads of reasons for it. You know I don't support or work for Man City... right?

— JJ Bull (@jj_bull) December 9, 2019

City successfully defended the Premier League title for the first time in their history last season, but their chances of retaining their crown this term seem slim after falling 14 points behind leaders Liverpool.

Guardiola left boyhood club Barcelona in 2012 after four years at their helm, meaning there's little reason to suggest the tactician wouldn't depart City after a similar time span should he desire.

Former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown appeared on BBC 5 Live Sport in mid-December and said Guardiola looked ready to depart the Etihad at the end of this campaign:

Pep Guardiola is heading into his 4th season at #MCI...

He spent 4⃣ years at Barcelona and 3⃣ years at Bayern Munich

Will he stay at Manchester City for another?

Thoughts? 🤔

🎧 Listen the Football Daily 👇
⚽️📲 https://t.co/jct8YfqXXE#bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/6Tls5ZEsbM

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) December 15, 2019

After the 2-1 loss to local rivals Manchester United on December 7, Goal's Alex Shaw noted that Guardiola had recorded his worst start to a season after 16 games, with a low of 32 points.

Arteta's likely departure from the Etihad is a change the coach can't have foreseen, but the planning is already under way to ensure Guardiola extends his City stay.  

Manchester City are in the semi-finals of the 2019 Carabao Cup after beating Oxford United 3-1 thanks to a Raheem Sterling brace in the last eight on Wednesday night.

The holders went in front via Joao Cancelo's deflected first-half effort at the Kassam Stadium, but Matty Taylor equalised for the League One side seconds after the restart, before Sterling converted twice in close in.

City's win means the holders still have the chance to lift this trophy for a third season running and fourth time in five seasons.

City laboured through a fairly turgid 22 minutes before taking the lead courtesy of Cancelo. The former Juventus right-back broke at pace after being released by Phil Foden.

Cancelo's shot took a touch that wrong-footed Oxford goalkeeper Jordan Archer.

🎙 - "The Carabao Cup kings are on their way again!"

The finish is a tad fortunate - but the build-up play from Manchester City here...😍

Watch live on Sky Sports Football now or follow our live blog: https://t.co/oAM91s4wrY pic.twitter.com/rj5qzVqUQQ

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 18, 2019

The Citizens had hardly turned on the style but just about merited the lead at the break. City's advantage didn't last long though and was wiped out with the sound of the second-half whistle still echoing through the air.

A quick free-kick saw the hosts play Taylor in behind. It was a chance the bullish striker didn't waste, finishing emphatically to leave City stunned.

There was some controversy about the goal because the ball appeared to be moving when the free kick was taken.

Manchester City get caught cold at the start of the second-half! ❄

Matty Taylor is on the move and on the scoresheet for Oxford United!

Watch live on Sky Sports Football now or follow our live blog: https://t.co/oAM91s4wrY pic.twitter.com/0p6jOUtU3m

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 18, 2019

To their credit, the holders rallied swiftly and retook the lead when left-back Angelino guided a superb cross into the path of Sterling. The prolific winger was never likely to miss from close range.

Sterling's goal should have been the cue for a City bombardment, but instead Oxford proceeded to batter a young defence with an aerial assault aimed at getting Taylor more involved. Young central defenders Eric Garcia, 18, and 17-year-old Taylor Harwood-Bellis were just about hanging on.

Pep Guardiola wanted to ease the pressure on the inexperienced prospects at the back and duly beefed up his attack by introducing Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus. It was the latter who made the difference when he crossed for Sterling to tap in again to put the tie out of Oxford's reach and add to his impressive tally across all competitions:

⚽️ Raheem Sterling has scored 1️⃣8️⃣ goals in all comps this season - more than any other PL player pic.twitter.com/15PiPrAlDt

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) December 18, 2019

There were still chances, with Cancelo smacking a shot off the post, before Jamie Mackie lifted an effort over from inside the box at the other end. City also needed Claudio Bravo to make a clutch save when substitute Mark Sykes found some space from close range.

The Citizens eventually let their slick passing run the clock down and held off Oxford's spirited attempts to keep the contest alive. Those efforts didn't yield anything except make passage to the final four a nervy experience for City.

   

What's Next?

City host second-place Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday, while Oxford are at home to Wycombe Wanderers on the same day.

Manchester City winger Leroy Sane reportedly wants to join Bayern Munich in the winter as he continues his recovery from a serious injury, and manager Pep Guardiola is unsure if he'll stay at the club past January. 

Guardiola spoke to reporters ahead of City's Carabao Cup quarter-final away to Oxford United on Wednesday and was asked about a January transfer for Sane, replying: "I don't know about that. Anything can happen."

Bild journalist Christian Falk reported on Tuesday that Sane, 23, wants to move to the Allianz Arena as early as next month:

Exclusive: @LeroySane19 wants to join @FCBayern already in january @SPORTBILD

— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) December 18, 2019

Max Winters of MailOnline carried further details on the report, saying that Bild claims Sane "has made up his mind that he wants to return to his homeland as soon as next month."

Sane will enter the final 18 months of his contract at the Etihad Stadium in the new year. The Germany international was heavily linked with Bayern over the summer, but James Ducker of the Telegraph wrote in August that Die Roten were some way off City's £137 million valuation.

Sane tore his anterior cruciate ligament in this season's FA Community Shield clash against Liverpool, which City won 6-5 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes.

Quizzed about a possible return date, Guardiola said: "When will he be back? I don't know. The process is (about) getting perfect, not setbacks. I think he is physically strong, muscular, but he is recovering well. The next step is on the pitch and then the team, and always will be so happy when he is back."

Sane posted an Instagram story on Monday confirming he had returned to training on the pitch. Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News provided more reaction from his manager:

Leroy Sane back on the pitch is "incredibly good news for all of us", says Guardiola, but not yet training with the squad

— Simon Bajkowski (@spbajko) December 17, 2019

Die Roten bid farewell to veteran wingers Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben over the summer, with Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman having taken over as their successors out wide for the most part.

However, the club could be in need of a winter statement after falling to fifth in the Bundesliga.

Goal's Ronan Murphy cited Coman's recurring injury issues during a recent appearance on Love Sport Radio and said Bayern will likely make their move for left-sided star Sane in January:

🔜 "They're going to have to make a move for Sané"@Goal's Ronan Murphy (@swearimnotpaul) says Bayern Munich will go all out for #MCFC winger Leroy Sané - and #ManCity will shake their hand on a deal!

📞 Call - 0208 70 20 558
📻 Tune in - DAB
📲 Listen - https://t.co/XWhRQh9myF pic.twitter.com/3WkIAFdie6

— Love Sport Radio (@lovesportradio) December 13, 2019

Guardiola recently reiterated City would not invest in the winter transfer market despite several key injury absences this season, via Omnisport:

https://twitter.com/OmnisportNews/status/1201825939027644417

Former Bayern manager Niko Kovac apologised to City in July following his public approach over the Sane rumours at the time, when he said: "I am very confident. I assume we can get it (done)."

Their transfer hopes will be aided should Sane help them push a deal through from his side, while City's valuation of the player is another major factor as he prepares to enter the last 18 months of his deal.

City travel to Oxford before they're due to host second-place Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday, with a chance to move within one point of the Foxes.