Pellegrini admits Guardiola shadow looms large over Man City despite signing new contract

MANUEL PELLEGRINI admits that signing a new two-year contract with Manchester City will still not remove the spectre of Pep Guardiola from looming over him at the Etihad Stadium

And Pellegrini, who had a season left on his old deal, says the extension will not save him from the sack if City fail to win a trophy for the second season running.

He knows the fact that City's chief executive Ferran Soriano and Txiki Begiristain know Guardiola so well from their days at Barcelona will always fuel speculation that the Bayern Munich coach will eventually end up at the Etihad Stadium

"Pep Guardiola is a manager that every team will want because he is a great manager," said Pellegrini. "Maybe he is more linked with this club because of the relationship with Txiki and Ferran.

"But I trust in them and I am sure if they want to bring him [Pep] in, they will tell me. I have no problem with my relationships inside the club. I know exactly how the owners think. I've had a lot of conversations with them in the last two years.

"I'm delighted to sign the new contract but in football you never know how long a contract will last.

"You can sign for 10 years and four months later you are sacked. It is impossible to know about the future. Carlo Ancelotti [Real Madrid] and Jurgen Klopp [Borussia Dortmund] had contracts and yet both are no longer with their clubs."

After City's failure to win a trophy last season, Pellegrini admits he is under pressure to deliver one this time.

"For me, a good season with a big team is that you must win a title," he said. "You cannot say it is a very good season if you win nothing. But how you win it is also important to me."

New boy Fabian Delph (hamstring) and Gael Clichy (ankle) will miss City's opener at West Brom on Monday but Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Samir Nasri have recovered from a stomach virus.