LONDON, Jan 24, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Pep Guardiola has insisted Manchester City will be back in the hunt to win the Premier League next season after struggling this term.

City, following an unprecedented run of four successive English titles, are currently 12 points adrift of leaders Liverpool and on the brink of bowing out of the Champions League after throwing away a two-goal lead in a 4-2 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

But Guardiola, who has won 18 trophies since arriving at the Etihad in 2016, was confident of a recovery as his side continue to battle for a place in next season's Champions League at home to Chelsea on Saturday.

"We are not the best positioned in the circumstances, absolutely," said the City manager.

"I'm not stupid enough to not know what are our standards and level. Everybody knows it.

"Still, I believe they are a fantastic group of players, as we have proven in seven, eight, nine years. For two months of bad results, I'm not going to change the opinion.

"But I saw it many times -- three months ago, two months ago, that this season we are going to suffer, and it's happened.

"Still, next season we'll be back, really."

City face Club Brugge on Wednesday in a match they must win to avoid elimination from the Champions League but a defiant Guardiola said: "Many big clubs, like Chelsea right now, are not in the Champions League.

"(Manchester) United are not the Champions League. It can happen to us, definitely, not being there."