The City Manager has started the war of words ahead of Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg in Manchester at Old Trafford, insisting he would rather retire from management than take the job.

“I will never even train them,” Guardiola said.

“Like I would not never train Madrid. I will stay in the Maldives if there are no other offers or on the golf course.”

MySportDab understands Guardiola went further to dismiss suggestions that fixtures against Liverpool are bigger games for his team nowadays.

While Liverpool may be a closer rival but derbies remain more crucial for his team to win.

“I know for many years of which I was not here, United ruled Manchester,” he said.

“Now am not sure how the situation is. But I know the Derby mean alot to Manchester City fans.”

Since Guardiola’s appointement, he has taken them to heady heights while United glories have dipped.

Yet the Manchester derby remains one fixture that the Spaniard has failed to totally control with four wins but two defeats in eight matches in all competitions since he arrived.

“I am not here to just beat United, that has never been my target, it was to play better and aim to win the title,” Guardiola said.

“But I have incredible respect for United and sooner or later they will be fighting for the Premier League title. In these period they are struggling – there is no team that wins every match.

“It happened during Sir Alex Ferguson time and they’ll be back to the top, I’m sure.”

Guardiola’s team will have analysed their previous 2-1 defeat in the Premier League back in early December when United’s counter-attacking power shocked his team.

Manchester City are still yet to lose a Carabao Cup match in over three years but it was United who defeated them in a fourth-round match in October 2016.

More to follow…