Guardiola: I would retire if possession football did not work

If possession-based football stopped working, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insists he would retire.

"I could defend more deep, but I want to have the ball and I want to play. From my first game with the second team in Barcelona, I always try to look for that."

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola revealed he would retire if possession-based football was unable to achieve results.

Ahead of a huge Manchester derby against United at Old Trafford on Sunday, Guardiola's City is eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.

In a dominant start to the campaign, City has scored 46 goals and conceded only 10 in 15 league games.

Asked what he would do if possession football stopped working, former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola said he would no longer coach.

"If that is going to happen, I'm going to retire, because I don't feel it another way," Guardiola said.

"I could defend more deep, but I want to have the ball and I want to play. From my first game with the second team in Barcelona, I always try to look for that.

"Sometimes it doesn't work, but that's because the other team is good or we are not good enough.

"But the idea [of changing], that is not going to happen. Never. Never in my life."