Pep Guardiola said that every game feels like a final after Manchester City stepped up their quest to complete a treble by advancing to the last four of the FA Cup.

The Citizens reached the semi-finals of the competition for the fifth time in six seasons after a commanding 4-1 victory over Southampton at St Mary’s.

Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne were on target either side of an Aymeric Laporte own goal, while substitutes Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez sealed the deal later on.

The Premier League leaders, who also have a Champions League quarter-final clash with Atletico Madrid to look forward to, remain in the hunt for three trophies this season. 

Impressed with the improvement of his side’s performance after the break against the Saints, Guardiola is well aware of the stakes on offer with every game that passes.

The Spaniard told BBC Sport: "For the last 15 [minutes] of the first half, we forgot to play, knowing that this would be difficult because Southampton is one of the best, most organised teams we face all season.

"They push you with incredible intensity, but the goal we conceded was a consequence of us forgetting to play.

"The second half was much better, in personality and play. They had one chance for Che Adams, at 2-1, but the quality of our players up front made the difference.

"It was not a comfortable victory, but now we go into the international break.

"There are two months left in the season, and we are in three competitions. We know every game is a final, and we knew it was important not to lose today."

De Bruyne, who was on target from the penalty spot, believes the third – a stunning 20-yard Foden volley – and fourth goals epitomised the quality that City possess.

And the Belgium international, who was part of the side that lifted the trophy in 2019, has his sights set on doing so again having suffered semi-final defeats in each of the last two seasons.

The midfielder added: "I think the first 20 minutes and the last half an hour, we did well. In between, we made too many stupid mistakes and even with their goal, we should have just played it out – there were 30 seconds to go until half-time.

"We chose the wrong options and Southampton came back into the game. Not a lot was said at half-time, but we had to play better, and we did that.

"But I think the reaction was really good; the second half, we dominated, and we did much better.

"The third and fourth goals were beautiful goals, and we saw then how good we can play.

"We want to win every competition we enter. We have lost in a couple of FA Cup semi-finals, but we are very happy and privileged we go again and hopefully, we can win it this time."

Pep Guardiola insisted he would not swap any of his Manchester City players as they chase treble glory – batting away speculation about Erling Haaland.

City could match Manchester United's 1998-99 feat of winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in one season, and Guardiola is no longer ridiculing that possibility.

They are a nose ahead of Liverpool in the Premier League and through to the quarter-finals of both knockout competitions, achieving such success largely without a recognised 'number nine' striker.

Haaland is the player most frequently linked with City, although Real Madrid and Barcelona are known to admire Borussia Dortmund's prolific marksman too. A decision could reportedly come soon regarding Haaland's future.

"Since I'm here, apparently every month, two months, we're going to sign 50 players," Guardiola said, when asked about the 21-year-old Norwegian. "Right now, listen, it's impossible I'm going to talk about some guy who's not here, and I don't know if he will be here. He's a Dortmund player.

"You can ask for this player or another one or another one. A transfer window is going to start, and many things are going to happen."

Southampton provide the opposition on Sunday in the FA Cup, with Guardiola taking issue with a reporter who questioned whether it might be challenging to motivate his City players for the trip to St Mary's.

Given City's other targets and Liverpool's rapid gain on them in the title race, some might consider the FA Cup a distraction, but not Guardiola.

"How do you ask me this, when we show in the last six years that we play every game in every competition like it was the last game in our lives?" Guardiola said.

"I know it looks like everything is gone, it is over, no chance of anything, but the manager still trusts a lot in his players to try to win every competition, being who we are.

"I want to do it with these guys. I would not change one single player to do these next two months we have ahead of us. Success? I don't know."

Since Guardiola joined City ahead of the 2016-17 campaign, Southampton have won just one of the 13 clashes between the sides (D3 L9), a 1-0 victory in July 2020 on home soil. City have drawn home and away in the Premier League with Southampton this season, however.

Guardiola was asked about how City have achieved spectacular success during his reign, while neighbours Manchester United have fallen short of delivering trophies.

United's last major silverware came in the 2016-17 season when they won the EFL Cup and Europa League, and despite high investment in players since then, they have been unable to keep pace with City.

"I would love to give an opinion about that, not to help them, because I'm sorry, but I don't have an opinion because I'm not there," Guardiola said. "I don't know the reason why. I think the team they have is fantastic. We cannot deny how good they are. But the reason why, I would say because the contenders are good too."

Guardiola said City were enjoying success due to the financial backing they have, and the support he and his staff receive from club hierarchy, comparing this to United in the Alex Ferguson era and Chelsea during early years of Roman Abramovich's ownership.

When it comes to others falling short, Guardiola said: "The difference in this club is there is strategy for many years. We lose, but this is the way."

City are losing only very rarely these days, which means the treble dream lives on. They won the domestic treble in 2018-19, but now the three trophies they are chasing include the old European Cup.

"I would say in September, October, November, it's more difficult," Guardiola said. "But we have two months left and still you can be there to win the titles, it can be possible. On the other side, it happened once in the lifetime."

Pep Guardiola knows he must not allow Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid to smother Manchester City when the teams clash in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The City manager was impressed by how Atletico accounted for Manchester United in the previous round, preventing the Red Devils imposing their game on the second leg at Old Trafford.

A 1-0 win for Atletico carried Simeone's team through to the last eight as 2-1 aggregate winners, and now Guardiola and Simeone – arguably the two best coaches in world football – will go head to head on the touchline.

Guardiola believes Simeone has a job for as long as he wants it at Atletico, pointing to that security and board support as being telling in the success the club have had, notably in winning last season's LaLiga title.

He also acknowledges that Atletico are so expert in the tenacious style they play, that even a team of City's level can be majorly tested.

"They are what they are, and they're able to avoid who you are. This is the biggest quality of Atletico Madrid," Guardiola said. "You try to impose your game but sometimes it is so difficult."

Simeone is regarded as a master of stifling opposition teams, and drawing from his own players an unmatched work rate.

"But if he likes to not concede goals, I like it more than him," Guardiola said. "If I want to win games, I like it more than him. I like the counter-attacks the same like him."

The City boss added: "I saw the first 15, 20, 25 minutes against Man United and United could not breathe, [Atletico] made intensive high pressing."

The quarter-final will be the first ever meeting between City and Atletico in European competition, while Guardiola was eliminated in his last meeting with the Rojiblancos in the knockout stages of this competition, when his Bayern Munich side were beaten in the 2015-16 semi-finals.

City will be at home first leg on April 5, and travel to Madrid for the April 13 second game.

What Guardiola is certain about is that Simeone's bosses have his back, which the City boss believes has underpinned the team's success.

"When this happens, you have an incredible achievement as a club and institution," Guardiola said.

"The most important thing that happens in that club is that Simeone will not be sacked, and all the players know he is the manager and he will be the manager.

"All the players know the hierarchy support the manager unconditionally for the fact of the results they had in the past."

Atletico have been unable to match last season's domestic performance this time around, with Real Madrid the runaway leaders in LaLiga, but Guardiola admires how there has been no sense of panic, or rush to do anything radically different.

"We're going to try, knowing it will be difficult in both our games against them," the City boss said. "You have to be clever. They wait for the right moment. Every game they have chances to score a goal.

"We're going to a nice stadium with incredible supporters, and we're going there to reach the semi-final. Hopefully they're worried to play against us."

Manchester City appear frontrunners to secure Erling Haaland's signature after Borussia Dortmund adviser Matthias Sammer inadvertently hinted at a move for the striker.

Haaland has taken the Bundesliga by storm since he arrived from Salzburg in January 2020, scoring 80 goals in 80 appearances across all competitions.

That has made him one of the most sought-after talents in European football, with a host of elite clubs circling for when his reported €75million release clause kicks in at the end of this season.

Barcelona and Real Madrid were reportedly among the favourites to secure the Norwegian's services, with Blaugrana boss Xavi said to have met with the 21-year-old in Munich.

But Pep Guardiola's City, who Haaland's father Alf-Inge played for between 2000 and 2003, have now emerged as the leading candidates, with Sammer acknowledging the dangerous partnership the Spanish boss and talisman could form at the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking on Amazon Prime, Sammer was asked how Haaland could work with Guardiola, to which he replied: "They will both benefit from each other. Because Pep, of course - I was able to experience him for three years - has a certain idea.

"I can also imagine dealing with a centre-forward, no question. But he will also have to learn from the centre-forward."

When pressed if his answer meant a deal was already done, Sammer retreated and suggested he had no idea. However, he did offer an insight into the possible figures involved in talks for Haaland.

"I didn't hear anything today, yesterday, the day before yesterday," he said. "I know City is after him. The numbers - I had whiplash! I passed out. My wife picked me up again. Accordingly, it is possible."

City missed out on their key striker target Harry Kane from Tottenham before the start of the 2021-22 campaign, and will be keen to ensure they make no similar mistake on this occasion.

Pep Guardiola insisted he had "no regrets" with his Manchester City side, despite them failing to restore their six-point lead at the Premier League summit on Monday.

Reigning top-flight champions City headed to Crystal Palace knowing victory would see them regain their advantage over Liverpool, who defeated Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 on Saturday.

However, Guardiola's team had to settle for just a point at Selhurst Park as they were twice denied by the woodwork through Joao Cancelo and Kevin De Bruyne either side of the break.

That leaves Liverpool, who are four points behind and play their game in hand against Arsenal on Wednesday, with the chance to top the table by the time the two teams meet on April 10 at the Etihad Stadium should City fail to beat Burnley in their next game.

But Guardiola, who did not introduce Gabriel Jesus or Raheem Sterling off the bench in search of a winner, refused to criticise his side after they again failed to breach Patrick Vieira's astute defence, Palace having recorded a 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture this season.

"I think they [Palace] played good," he told Sky Sports after the game.

"There are still many games to play, we have to win a lot of games but the way we played, there are no regrets about the team. We would have preferred to win of course but the game was well played.

"We played to win the game; we created more. The way we played was amazing in a difficult stadium with the grass not perfect."

He added to BBC Sport: "We played a really good game. In 90 minutes, we conceded mistakes a little bit, but the way we played was really good.

"Luck doesn't exist in football. We have to score goals and we didn't do it. We played to score goals and concede few. We struggled a little bit.

"The guys who were playing were playing good, that's why I didn't make changes. We didn't score, that was the mistake.

"The team that was there today was there before and will be there in the next game. I am very pleased with the performance and the way we played."

Manchester City failed to restore their six-point lead at the Premier League summit as they were held to a goalless draw at Crystal Palace on Monday.

Palace had been looking to complete a first league double over City since 1987-88 but settled simply for frustrating Pep Guardiola's side, who went the closest to opening the scoring in the first half when Joao Cancelo rattled the woodwork.

Kevin De Bruyne was also denied by the frame of the goal after the interval, with no late winner forthcoming at Selhurst Park.

The stalemate meant City moved just four points clear of second-placed Liverpool, who have a game in hand and are yet to play the champions at the Etihad Stadium.

Michael Olise poked narrowly wide in the opening stages, while Bernardo Silva spurned a glorious chance after Vicente Guaita had spilled a De Bruyne strike at the other end.

De Bruyne then tested Guaita's reactions with an audacious volley, before Cancelo cannoned against the left post with a thunderous long-range effort, with Aymeric Laporte squandering the inviting rebound inside the area.

Riyad Mahrez almost found the top-left corner with a left-footed curler, then De Bruyne struck the right post after the break with his low drive. Guaita tipped over from Mahrez on the follow-up, but a belated offside flag meant a breakthrough goal would not have stood.

Silva wasted another gilt-edged chance to nudge City ahead when he touched wide from Jack Grealish's cross, while Laporte failed to make clean contact with a close-range header late on.

Conor Gallagher could even have stolen victory as his shot from a tight angle rose over Ederson's goal in stoppage time.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hailed 21-goal winger Riyad Mahrez, whom he says "reads the game perfectly".

The Algerian has been a key part of City's Premier League title push, netting eight goals in their past 10 league games, for a season total of 10.

Mahrez has been influential in Europe as well with six Champions League goals for City, who are into the quarter-finals. Across all competitions this season, he already has 21 goals to his name.

The 31-year-old contributed 14, 13 and 12 goals over the previous three seasons, with his increase in production prompting praise from Guardiola – 21 is already a personal best.

"He's an exceptional player,” Guardiola said at the news conference prior to Monday's league game with Crystal Palace. "He's a player that many teams would like to have.

"He's scored a lot of goals, penalties, assists and everything and part of that is the quality. He reads the game perfectly when he has to attack or give an extra pass."

The Spaniard added: "I try to push him a lot. We struggle together because I know the quality he has and he's a player I admire for the fact he handles the pressure.

"He likes to play on the biggest stages. It's difficult to find that and players like him. Not just me, the whole club has an incredibly high opinion of him and his quality, no doubt about that."

Despite never before scoring as many goals as in 2021-22, Guardiola refused to label it a career-best season.

"I will not say it’s his best season or not because he’s played in the Premier League for many seasons at a high level. Last season, for example, he was exceptional," Guardiola said.

"The final quarter of the season until the end he was so important and playing really well."

Mahrez's 10 Premier League goals mean he is the club's joint-top scorer in the top flight this term along with Raheem Sterling. Kevin De Bruyne is just behind them on nine.

Pep Guardiola dismissed the possibility of Manchester City winning a treble this season as "fairy tales" as he hailed Scott Carson as an inspiration to his young stars.

Veteran former England goalkeeper Carson made just his second appearance in almost three years for City as he came off the bench against Sporting CP in the Champions League on Wednesday.

City's goalless draw completed a 5-0 aggregate win over the Portuguese giants after the thumping win in Lisbon three weeks earlier, and that has only served to ramp up talk of a possible sweep of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League titles.

Leading the English top flight and through to quarter-finals in the two knockout competitions, it is a rosy picture for City with three shots at silverware remaining.

Asked about that prospect in a news conference on Thursday, Guardiola said: "It doesn't motivate me, absolutely zero, lower than zero. It is fairy tales.

"The reality is tougher than you suggest with this kind of things. You should understand sport at a high level is so competitive, so difficult.

"What I'm happy with is we are in the quarter-finals, the best eight teams in Europe. It will be so tough, the opponent we are going to face, and I guess for the opponent it will be tough to face us.

"Step-by-step, we now recover and increase and improve our level and at the end, we will see."

Guardiola handed Champions League debuts to teenagers CJ Egan-Riley, James McAtee and Luke Mbete, while Fernandinho made his 100th appearance in the competition, the fourth Brazilian to reach that mark, following in the footsteps of Roberto Carlos (120), Dani Alves (111) and Marcelo (101).

The youngsters that City hope to keep bringing through from their academy, in the manner that Guardiola's former club Barcelona have cultivated youth talent down the years, have plenty of international stars to admire.

Guardiola made a point that 36-year-old Carson should be the player they watch, to learn how he values every moment of his City career.

"One of the best advice I could give to young players is stay around Scott Carson as much as possible in the locker room and on the pitch," Guardiola said.

"It's the best advice they can get, the best learnings they can get. You have to be there to know him. He's experienced enough, he lived many, many things."

Carson's surprise and popular cameo against Sporting gave him just a second appearance in the Champions League, a full 16 years and 338 days after he played for Liverpool against Juventus as a 19-year-old. That made it the largest gap between appearances for any player in the competition's history, and Carson pulled off a fine stop to stave off a possible home defeat.

"He's at the end of his career, so every second he's training and every minute he gets on the pitch and off the field in the locker room, he values it," Guardiola said.

"It's like young actors need to be with old actors on the set. They are wiser, and they have the values in the football profession."

Pep Guardiola admits he feels sorry for rival boss Thomas Tuchel after Chelsea were left with an uncertain future by sanctions imposed on owner Roman Abramovich.

Manchester City manager Guardiola said he was unclear about the implications of the action brought about by the United Kingdom government, and he was unwilling to delve into what it might mean for European club champions Chelsea.

Long-time Chelsea owner Abramovich was one of seven Russian oligarchs facing new measures after Thursday's announcement, and the impact on Chelsea looks to be significant.

Abramovich, who has previously been photographed with Russian president Vladimir Putin, has had his assets frozen, with the decision made in the wake of Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Chelsea have been granted a special sporting licence to be able to continue trading as a football club, but measures have been placed upon the club including a ban on selling tickets, with only season-ticket holders permitted to attend matches.

Guardiola said he did not "know exactly the reason why" the sanction had been imposed, but he understood the consequences for Tuchel and his Chelsea playing squad would be challenging.

"Of course with the position for the manager, for Thomas Tuchel and the players, it's uncomfortable, and I feel sorry for them because they're there to do their job as well as possible," Guardiola said. "For the rest, I don't know, I have to wait."

Chelsea beat City in last year's Champions League final, and they sit third in the Premier League this season, with Guardiola's team in a title battle with Liverpool further up the table.

Speaking in a pre-match news conference ahead of City's trip to Crystal Palace, which does not take place until Monday, Guardiola acknowledged Premier League managers and head coaches are often asked about subjects in which they lack specialist knowledge.

"We are the face of the club, we're here every day, and you ask freely whatever you want, but you have to understand there are subjects we don't know," he said.

"We don't have a one-hour lesson to speak or talk about what you're asking for.

"I always feel confident talking about my club. It was difficult last week talking about the situation for Man United: I don't know, I'm not there. Now the situation with Chelsea is the same.

"I'm empathic enough to put in the position of the manager of Chelsea and the players. It must be an uncomfortable situation, but it was this morning's headlines and I don't know what's going to happen.

"I prefer when I don't have the knowledge or opinion about any subject to wait, and this is what I have to do. I don't want to say something that's uncomfortable for Chelsea or for our club, or whatever."

Guardiola was asked about whether managers and coaches now needed to consider carrying out due diligence on the teams they might join.

"You're right, yeah. It looks like you have to know absolutely everything," Guardiola said.

"Maybe in the next press conference I will have more of a clear opinion. I would like to speak with my CEO about exactly what is the reason why, what happened, and after I can talk more comfortably."

Pep Guardiola complained that his players were "a little bit sloppy" but the Manchester City manager was delighted to rubberstamp a Champions League quarter-final place.

The Spaniard saw his side duke out a goalless draw with Sporting CP, sealing a 5-0 aggregate win after the thrashing in Lisbon three weeks ago.

City probed for a goal to satisfy the packed house at the Etihad Stadium, but they could not make a breakthrough, Gabriel Jesus having a strike disallowed for offside after a VAR check and a late flurry coming to nothing.

Given City's huge lead from the first leg, there was always a likelihood this would end in anti-climax, but the hosts at least avoided an uncomfortable night.

Guardiola said: "The first half was better than the second one. 

"I think after the disallowed goal, we were a little bit not active, didn't make movements and it's not easy because after this result the second half I think it was already over.

"We waited for counter-attacks and it was a little bit not good. But I understand it, that games in these situations it is difficult to handle it.

"The first half was much better, we were more aggressive and created chances.

"We should have played the second half like we played the last four or five minutes. We didn't do it; that's why it was a little bit sloppy, the second half."

City have now reached the last eight of the Champions League in each of the past five seasons, the only English side to do so each time over this period.

Guardiola gave Champions League debuts to three players: starter CJ Egan-Riley and substitutes James McAtee and Luke Mbete.

Egan-Riley did well at right-back, with Guardiola saying of the 19-year-old academy product: "CJ played like he is. He's not exceptional in anything, but he doesn't make mistakes and so always as a defender that's so important."

A highlight of the night for City supporters was a late cameo for veteran third-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson, as the 36-year-old replaced Ederson for the closing 17 minutes.

Carson, rarely given a look-in at first-team level, had to make one big save to keep City on terms, boosting his cult hero status at the club.

It was his second appearance in the Champions League, 16 years and 338 days after his debut for Liverpool against Juventus in April 2005 when he was 19 years old. This made it the largest gap between appearances in the competition's history.

"We are delighted. Scott is very important for us always behind the scenes," Guardiola said of the former England international.

"His chemistry with Ederson and Zack [Steffen] is fundamental in the locker room. People listen to him a lot when he talks. For a game like this it was so important and he made the biggest save so we didnt lose the game."

Guardiola played down the prospect of possibly facing a rival Premier League club in the quarter-finals, saying: "We'll prepare well and next Friday we're going to see the draw and we are going to prepare.

"It's an honour to be there. Important teams are already out so we'll see next week what happens."

Pep Guardiola picked homegrown talent CJ Egan-Riley for Manchester City's second leg with Sporting CP, handing the 19-year-old a Champions League debut.

The youngster made his maiden first-team appearance in the 6-1 Carabao Cup win over Wycombe in September, but this was comfortably the biggest senior occasion of his fledgling career at the club.

He came in amid a defensive crisis for City, with Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker all unavailable. Ukrainian Oleksandr Zinchenko started at left-back, with John Stones and Aymeric Laporte in the centre.

It was a night at the Etihad Stadium when City were surely on their way through to the quarter-finals after seizing a commanding 5-0 lead in Lisbon three weeks ago.

Guardiola made six changes, with Egan-Riley joined by Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Ilkay Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling, who came into the side three days after the thumping 4-1 derby win over Manchester United.

Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Rodri and Riyad Mahrez dropped to the bench as Guardiola allowed that star quartet a breather, while Cancelo was unwell and Walker suspended.

Egan-Riley stepped in at right-back for England international Walker, who Guardiola ticked off in his pre-match news conference for the red card he received late on in City's group-stage clash with RB Leipzig after lashing out at Andre Silva.

Guardiola said: "When one player does this stupid thing he deserves the three games, I'm sorry. I'm not so kind to Kyle in this kind of action."

Pep Guardiola has full confidence in Oleksandr Zinchenko's readiness to feature for Manchester City against Sporting CP.

Zinchenko has played just once for City since his homeland of Ukraine was invaded by Russia, an attack that began on February 24.

That appearance came against Peterborough United in the FA Cup, with Zinchenko captaining City in a 2-0 win.

However, the 25-year-old seems set to start again as City host Sporting in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

City hold a 5-0 lead from the first leg in Lisbon, but Guardiola claimed he only has three defenders fit for Wednesday's meeting at the Etihad Stadium.

Kyle Walker is suspended and Joao Cancelo, who has been playing at left-back, is unwell. Nathan Ake has still not recovered from injury while Ruben Dias is expected to miss a month due to a hamstring problem.

As such, Zinchenko is likely to feature, but Guardiola insists the full-back is in the right frame of mind to feature.

"He's ready, of course it's not an easy period for him but he will be ready if he has to play," Guardiola told a news conference.

Prior to Guardiola's appearance in front of the media, City goalkeeper Ederson explained the support Zinchenko has from his team-mates.

"It's a very difficult moment for him. It's his country. His family are there, living in these anguishing moments," Ederson told reporters.

"For us who don't live there it is difficult. Can you imagine what it is like for him? It is hard to see your team-mate suffer and the civilians suffering in the country.

"We try to give him strength and bring some joy into his day but we know how difficult that is. I hope it resolves and the country can get back to normality.

"It will be very difficult due to the damage being done, the amount of innocent people that are dying due to a war that is nothing to do with them."

Pep Guardiola is still "so angry" with Kyle Walker over the full-back's three-match Champions League suspension.

Walker was sent off for lashing out at Andre Silva in the 82nd minute of City's 2-1 defeat to RB Leipzig in the group stage, with the Premier League champions having already secured qualification into the last 16.

City appealed against the England international's suspension, but it was upheld, with Walker missing the last-16 tie against Sporting CP and the first leg of the quarter-finals, with Guardiola's side surely heading for the last eight after winning the first leg 5-0.

The Premier League leaders are short of options in defence for the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. Ruben Dias is set to miss the next month due to a hamstring problem while Nathan Ake is not yet ready to return from injury, and Joao Cancelo is unwell.

John Stones and Aymeric Laporte are Guardiola's senior options at centre-back, while Oleksandr Zinchenko would seem the most viable option at left-back.

Guardiola said he does not know who will fill in at right-back, as he vented his frustration at Walker.

"He deserved it. Kyle Walker deserved the three," Guardiola said during a news conference when asked about City's failure to win their appeal.

"When one player does this stupid thing he deserves the three games, I'm sorry. I'm not so kind to Kyle in this kind of action.

"I'm still so angry with him, so angry. He knows it. It's not necessary to discuss that [with him].

"He's so important, Kyle for us. Did you see the game he played against United? But in Leipzig, we've qualified already, 75, 80 minutes to make this kind of action? So he deserves the three games.

"The club appealed, I did not agree. They had to do it because in other cases that were quite similar it was just two games but he deserved it. Hopefully he learns for the future."

One academy option who could be called upon is Luke Mbete, with the 18-year-old defender set to be included in City's squad.

"He's trained with us for a long time, the application is so high, a guy who wants to learn," Guardiola said.

"Still young but tomorrow he'll be with the squad and maybe we will need him, we will see."

Fernandinho, however, was namechecked as a possible option to slot into the defence, either at right-back or centre-back.

There has been talk of Fernandinho moving into a coaching role, yet Guardiola still wants to keep the Brazilian in his squad if possible.

"I would love [to offer him a new contract]," Guardiola said. 

"I'm so glad to have him he's an incredible captain and player. I have a feeling now at 36, 37, he struggled a little bit coming back from holidays but now he's getting his rhythm.

"For him he doesn't care, he will play against Peterborough. Other players his age wouldn't want to play there in cold weather, but he wants to help to give rest to Rodri. At the end of the season Txiki [Begiristain, City's director of football] and the club have to decide."

Kevin De Bruyne, meanwhile, is risking a suspension should he play and Guardiola may omit the midfielder.

"He's maybe not [going to start]," Guardiola said with a laugh. "We will see."

Ederson is full of confidence that Manchester City can go on to win a domestic and European treble this season.

City missed out on their usual EFL Cup triumph this term, a trophy they had lifted four times in a row under Pep Guardiola.

However, they are six points clear at the top of the Premier League, albeit having played a game more than title rivals Liverpool, while they are into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Southampton stand in the way of a semi-final trip to Wembley in that competition, while City also have one foot into the last eight of the Champions League.

Last year's runners-up thrashed Sporting CP 5-0 in the last-16 first leg last month, meaning the return fixture in Manchester on Wednesday should prove a formality.

"Definitely," Ederson told a news conference when asked if City had eyes on a treble, which would be the second of Guardiola's tenure after an EFL Cup, FA Cup and Premier League triumph in 2018-19.

"We know how difficult it is. A season here in England is very intense, especially around the Boxing Day period when there are a lot of games in a short space of time. That is very demanding on the entire group.

"We know how difficult it is, but we have the quality to do this. We've shown this previously and we're showing it at the moment. I think we're fully capable of meeting this achievement."

City are yet to win the Champions League, with last season's final defeat to Chelsea in Porto the closest the club has come.

"Last season we had the opportunity but lost in the final," Ederson said.

"Our goal is to go into every tournament to win. We have to take things step by step to progress. We know there are challenges in every competition. Every game has its own challenges and [you] have to take things step by step to achieve great things in the future."

City's victory in Lisbon represented the joint-biggest winning margin away from home in the knockout stages in Champions League history. The largest first-leg deficit to be overturned in the competition is four goals, Barcelona having famously thrashed Paris Saint-Germain 6-1 in March 2017 after losing the away leg 4-0.

City have won each of their past six home matches in the knockout stages of the Champions League and could tie a record that has been reached on five occasions previously, while Sporting have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their most recent 13 away matches in the tournament, conceding 31 goals in the process (2.4 per game).

Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick acknowledged "there is a gap between the two teams" after suffering a 4-1 thrashing at local rivals Manchester City.

United headed to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday unbeaten in 11 games in normal time across all competitions, but came unstuck against Pep Guardiola's Premier League leaders.

Kevin De Bruyne needed just five minutes to open the scoring and became the first player to score a league brace in the Manchester derby since Sergio Aguero in April 2015, after Jadon Sancho's first-half equaliser.

De Bruyne then turned provider for Riyad Mahrez to put the game beyond doubt at 3-1, before the Algeria international capped a sumptuous derby display with a late fourth goal for City.

That leaves United a point behind fourth-placed Arsenal, who defeated Watford 3-2 on the same day and have played three games fewer than Rangnick's side.

Rangnick pointed to the difference in quality between his team and City as he looked ahead to an important period, with United vying for Champions League success and a top-four push in the league.

"I think we played a good, if not decent first half. We were competitive. It is difficult to concede an early goal," he told Sky Sports after the game.

"We came back, scored a brilliant goal ourselves then conceded another on the counter. It was a very difficult game against one of the best teams in the world. We conceded a fourth in the last minute of the game. It is a difficult game that shows we have a long way to go to close that gap."

Pressed for an answer on whether the gulf between the two Manchester clubs showed, Rangnick added: "In the second half it did but the first half was a competitive game.

"Everyone knows how good they are. They are one of the top teams in the world and there is a gap between the two teams.

"We are fully aware we need to win games. This is one of the most difficult. It is accepting they were the better team today.

"But we look ahead to the next games and we need to win the next two home games - they are essential to us."

United's first-half display did offer some hope, with Paul Pogba and Bruno Fernandes acting as strikers and Scott McTominay, Fred, Sancho and Anthony Elanga doing the hard yards in behind the front pair.

But the Red Devils' task was already made more difficult before kick-off, when it was confirmed they would be without the injured Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani.

"I don't know. I was hoping to have them available for this game," Rangnick responded when asked when Ronaldo and Cavani could return.

"We have two important games coming up against Spurs and Atletico and we have to put our full focus on that."

Meanwhile, City manager Guardiola was delighted with what he saw from the Citizens - who restored their six-point lead at the Premier League summit, albeit Liverpool do still boast a game in hand and make the trip to the Etihad in April.

"It was excellent from the first minute. We played really well and had to be patient in the first step," he told Sky Sports.

"Ralf [Rangnick] tried to change the mentality for Man United to be more aggressive but we made space, especially in the second half, to play behind [Scott] McTominay and Fred.

"Football is emotions. It's tactics, definitely, but it's also emotions. Without the ball, we are a team with desire and passion to regain the ball from the first minute to the 90th.

"We also want the ball as much as possible and, especially, second half we used it very well."

Guardiola also reserved special praise for Jack Grealish, who was preferred ahead of Raheem Sterling on the left flank.

"He was excellent. [At one] moment he will understand in the final third, 'this ball is from me'. He is very generous," Guardiola said of the former Aston Villa man.

"When you see Phil [Foden] and Riyad [Mahrez] in that moment, it is their ball. This is the next step for Jack, but in terms of decision-making, and using players in space, he was exceptional."