Pep Guardiola is on his way out of Manchester City after ten years, seventeen major trophies and six Premier League titles — and the rest of English football has plenty to say about it. BBC Sport gathered the views of rival supporters, and the picture that emerges is one of grudging admiration wrapped in barely concealed relief.

United fans see a familiar feeling — and a familiar opportunity

For Manchester United supporters, the announcement lands with a particular resonance. Alex Turk, of Turk Talks FC, draws an immediate parallel with May 2013, when the news of Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement sent shockwaves through the game. Twelve years on, he argues, City's rivals now understand exactly how United's opponents felt back then.

Turk is careful to acknowledge the context. The 115 charges for alleged financial rule breaches hanging over City mean praise comes with hesitation. Yet he concedes that Guardiola's trophy-hunting instincts — twenty pieces of silverware across a decade — demand a certain respect, even from Old Trafford. "He has always shown this great club the respect it demands," Turk notes, adding the intriguing aside that Guardiola was once considered as a potential United manager before the job went to David Moyes.

With Michael Carrick confirmed as United's permanent head coach on the same day Guardiola's departure was announced, Turk is candid about the hope brewing on the red half of Manchester: that City might suffer the same post-dynasty hangover United endured after Ferguson walked away.

Liverpool fans: a nemesis they grew to like

Josh Sexton, who contributes to The Anfield Wrap, takes a different tone — one of genuine, slightly reluctant warmth. He describes Guardiola as a "long-time nemesis" he actually grew quite fond of, helped in no small part by Liverpool's underwhelming campaign this season making the rivalry feel less raw.

Sexton's most striking observation is about standards. The Guardiola-Klopp era, he argues, warped supporters' sense of what a title-winning points tally looks like. Arsenal have clinched the Premier League this season, but with a maximum of 85 points — a figure that would have fallen short during the period when City and Liverpool were pushing each other past ninety. With Guardiola gone, the noises out of Anfield suggest the bar will be set somewhat lower, and Liverpool's talented squad should be well placed to clear it.

"We might not see those 2018-2022 levels again for a little while," Sexton says, "and for that we will always — at least partly — have Guardiola to thank."

Arsenal fans: jealousy acknowledged, nightmare over

Laura Kirk-Francis, from the Latte Firm podcast, is the most candid of the three. She describes the past few days — Arsenal's title win followed by Guardiola's exit — as two weights lifting simultaneously. The nightmare, as she puts it, is over.

But she is disarmingly self-aware about what drives some of her hostility. "A lot of my negativity towards Guardiola is purely jealousy," she admits. Jealousy at the machine he built at City, at the relentless excellence that kept Arsenal at arm's length for so long. There is even a note of gratitude: she thanks Guardiola for staying long enough for Arsenal to beat him to a league title, arguing it makes the triumph considerably sweeter.

A chapter closing across English football

What unites all three supporters, despite their very different vantage points, is a sense that an era is genuinely ending. Guardiola has watched four United managers arrive and depart during his tenure. He went head to head with Jurgen Klopp in a rivalry that defined a generation of Premier League football. He constructed a side that forced every club around it to raise its standards simply to stay relevant.

The market will have its say on who succeeds him — Enzo Maresca is among those linked with the City role — but for now, the rest of English football is taking a moment to exhale. Glad to see the back of him? Mostly. Aware of what he meant? Absolutely.

Frequently asked

How many trophies did Pep Guardiola win at Manchester City?
Guardiola won 17 major trophies with Manchester City across his ten years in charge, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League.
Who is replacing Pep Guardiola at Manchester City?
Enzo Maresca, currently at Chelsea, has been linked with the Manchester City job following Guardiola's departure, though no official confirmation has been made.
Did Arsenal win the Premier League in Guardiola's final season?
Yes, Arsenal clinched the Premier League title in the 2024-25 season, ending City's run of dominance and doing so in Guardiola's final campaign in charge.