Man City's world falls apart in 24 hours of despair

All eyes were on Guardiola at Vitality Stadium for City's must-win game. He was greeted by the flashing cameras of 22 photographers as he entered the dugout before kick-off, while one City fan raised a bedsheet with 'Pep Stay' scribbled on it. "One more year, one more year, Guardiola," was chanted during the game but, by the end, the manager was the first to make a hasty exit down the tunnel as his disconsolate players took the applause of the travelling supporters. The shock developments, should they officially be confirmed by the club, mean it is now shaping up to be a significant summer of change at City this summer. Until last Friday, Guardiola - who will undoubtedly go down as one of the finest managers to grace English football - had continued to insist he had "one more year" left on his contract. But it now appears to be the end of the road after a successful spell in charge since he replaced Manuel Pellegrini in 2016. Guardiola masterminded historic achievements at City, such as becoming the first top-flight side to achieve 100 points, the first English team to win the title in four successive seasons, and a Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League Treble in 2023 which he has described as his greatest achievement with the club. …