Richard Keys has spoken – & Pep Guardiola should start packing his bags | OneFootball

Manchester City fans should identify a shelter while loading up on tinned goods and blankets. The apocalypse is at the gates.

We’re not directly talking about Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester United, although City supporters will have already put their phones on airplane mode and drafted sick leave notices.

But City’s feeble performance at Old Trafford, even allowing for United’s corpse-twitching display under another interim manager, has shone the spotlight on Pep Guardiola’s future.

Does Guardiola truly have the hunger to carry out City’s rebuild? Like panic attacks and erections, you can only keep going for so long.

And football’s greatest sage has predicted the end of Guardiola’s dynasty may occur sooner than everyone has predicted.

“I think [it’s] nailed on [that Guardiola is] gone at the end of the season, but… do not rule out him leaving this week,” Richard Keys said on beIN Sports after the derby.

“This week. And if he goes this week, [Enzo] Maresca will be in charge of the match against Wolves next week.

“City will be apoplectic. They will deny it, of course, but it’s on his mind, I’m telling you. It’s on his mind to leave this week…”

Keys doubled down on his stance by stating that Enzo Maresca, who left Chelsea on New Year’s Day, would take over if Guardiola left in the coming days.

Having spent the last decade sunning his skin and sense of resentment in Qatar, Keys is more of a loose cannon than ever. And he has never been one to engage his brain before opening his mouth.

From the exceptionally erotic crush on Sam Allardyce to his desperate desire for attention at all times, Keys is a rather odd – but hilarious – man

But the former Sky Sports presenter does have an unerring habit of being right with broken clock regularity.

The old ways of possession, overloads and tactical fouling aren’t keeping City on their perch. It’s now four winless Premier League matches in 2026.

With the Marc Guehi deal on the verge of completion, Guardiola will have spent over £400million on their squad since the start of 2025. Consitency remains a small dot on the horizon.

Guardiola has never gone two successive seasons without winning a league title, but City are now seven points behind leaders Arsenal.

Every manager has a shelf life, usually lasting around 10 years. Guardiola has already bucked that trend, but has recently been outcoached by both Calum McFarlane and Michael Carrick.

It’s not outlandish to suspect the Catalan will leave City at the end of the season, having rebuilt his treble-winning squad for the benefit of his future successor.

But leaving this week? It would be 2026’s most sensational story, at least until Donald Trump’s McDonald’s-ridden arteries give up on him.

City fans of a sensitive disposition would be advised to ignore Keys or start stockpiling supplies. Everyone else should reach for the popcorn.