Wednesday 6 January 2016 08:18, UK
Manuel Pellegrini admits his long-term future as Manchester City manager is in the balance, despite the club chasing a historic quadruple.
City currently sit third in the Premier League table and have already booked their place in the Champions League last-16 as well as the Capital One Cup semi-finals.
Their FA Cup campaign begins against Norwich City on Saturday, but Pellegrini knows that he could still be asked to make way at the Etihad Stadium in the summer even if wins the Premier League title and more.
"I don't think my position in the future is linked to titles. For me, as a manager, it's important to win the title because it's my job," Pellegrini said.
"My way of thinking is that, if I have the option to renew here for five years more and don't win the title, or to win the title and be sacked, I'd prefer to win the title and be sacked. For a manager, your work is to win the title, so the other doesn't matter.
"I think that if you are the owner of a club, you must have the option to replace the manager if they win the title or if they don't win the title.
"It just is about your trust in the way you work. That is more important than if you win a title or not for the owners."
On Tuesday, Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola revealed he did not extend his contract at the Allianz Arena because of a desire to manage in the Premier League.
And according to Sky sources in Germany, the 44-year-old Spaniard will replace Pellegrini and become City's manager in the summer.
City face Everton at Goodison Park in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final on Wednesday - live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.30pm - before facing Norwich at Carrow Road in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.
But, while Pellegrini claims he is determined to succeed on all fronts, he believes winning a quadruple may be a stretch too far for his squad.
"It's a lot of games. If you ask me I always prefer to play in all the competitions, but I am worried about the FA Cup," he said.
"After the first rounds you start having to postpone your Premier League games to continue. I am not sure if you can continue in all the competitions.
"I think if you play the semi-final of the FA Cup and you are in the semi-finals of the Champions League, then you don't have time to play one of the [Premier League] games.
"You don't have any free midweeks. You don't have time to rearrange game 36. There is no midweek to play it before you finish the Premier League."
