AFP, MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola manager thanked Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi owners for standing by him when he failed to deliver any trophies in his first season at the club.

Guardiola, whose side lead the Premier League by 13 points and won the League Cup last month, is set to meet chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak when City fly to Abu Dhabi for a training break

following Monday’s Premier League match at Stoke.

The Catalan coach is not expected to discuss the possibility of a new contract during the break, and has given no public indication as to whether he intends to stay beyond the end of his current deal when it expires in June 2019. He has, though, made clear that he appreciates the support given to him, director of football Txiki Begiristain and chief executive Ferran Soriano.

“The relationship is good, especially with Khaldoon. We are in touch a lot by telephone,” said Guardiola.

“He wants to know what happens but always accepts

whatever I, Txiki and Ferran decide. The club are good because now it is easy to support us when it is going well but it happened the same last season. That means a lot to me,” he added.