Man City vs West Ham: Pep Guardiola says ‘everyone was honest’ in Manuel Pellegrini succession

Pellegrini returns to the Etihad for the first time on Wednesday night with West Ham United

Pep Guardiola has said “everybody was honest” in the process which saw him take over from Manuel Pellegrini as manager of Manchester City.

Pellegrini returns to the Etihad for the first time on Wednesday night, leading his West Ham United side into a meeting with the Premier League champions.

The Chilean spent three years in charge at City between 2013 and 2016, winning the league title as well as two EFL Cups.

But speculation that Guardiola would one day manage City persisted throughout Pellegrini’s time in Manchester, having pre-dated his arrival.

The rumours built up a head of steam during his final year in charge and in February 2016, the Chilean confirmed he would be replaced by Guardiola at the end of the season.

Pellegrini insisted at the time that the club had not done “anything behind” him and that he had known about the decision for a month, but the news coincided with a sudden loss of form.

City only won just seven of their last 15 league matches and came close to missing out on a top-four place, only qualifying for the Champions League on goal difference.

When asked whether the timing of his appointment had made Pellegrini’s final months in charge unnecessarily difficult, Guardiola stressed that the decision was agreed by all.

“I don’t know. I think the decision was consulted by all parts, I think everybody was honest,” he said.

“But I don’t know, only Manuel can answer. I’m sorry for what happened, but the intention was not to create a problem for when he was here. I don’t know.”

Guardiola also asked for City fans to give Pellegrini the reception “he deserves”, having been offered a rather lukewarm farewell in his final Etihad appearance in 2016.

“I’m pretty sure [his reception] will be high, he did an incredible job. The league he won, the way he played. It was a good team.

“I have a lot of respect for the people who played and managed here and especially Manuel. He’s an excellent person, polite and shows respect. I don’t have doubts about that.”

Guardiola then paid tribute to Pellegrini and former City manager Roberto Mancini for helping to build the team that he calls his own today.

“All the players I have in my hands now were with other managers and they learned a lot from that – and I benefit from that,” he said.

“In the last decade, they were involved with Mancini and Manuel and myself, with all the staff and all the players, we have created Manchester City. I didn’t build it. I didn’t create it.

“Many incredible players and managers, everybody, did something. Hopefully we can leave something for the next manager to do that.

“That’s the best we can do for other managers, leave something for the club – and, of course, I got something with what Manuel did here.”