Guardiola and ex-Chelsea boss Ancelotti join Simeone on Man City's manager shortlist

Posted Tuesday, March 03, 2015 by Dailystar.co.uk

MANCHESTER CITY have added Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti to a three-man shortlist of potential replacements for under-fire boss Manuel Pellegrini.

Guardiola and ex-Chelsea boss Ancelotti join Simeone on Man City's manager shortlist
WANTED: City could look to Ancelotti or Guardiola if Pellegrini is sacked in the summer

Pellegrini is feeling the heat in the wake of City's crushing defeat at Liverpool on Sunday that has left Chelsea in pole position in the title race.

The Blues are now five points clear of the champions with a game in hand and Pellegrini admits he is concerned about the form of his team.

The Anfield defeat came hot on the heels of Barcelona's 2-1 win at the Etihad in the Champions League and Pellegrini is now facing an uncertain future.

Billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour is considering his options should he decide to axe Pellegrini and has made Diego Simeone his No.1 choice.

But it remains to be seen if the Atletico Madrid boss can be lured to the Etihad and it is understood Mansour will also consider a big-money move for either Guardiola or Ancelotti.

Pellegrini will be entering the final 12 months of his current deal this summer and there have been no moves to discuss a new one with him.

Chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain have a close relationship with Guardiola, having worked alongside him at Barca.

The Bayern Munich boss will be sounded-out about a move to the Premier League, but much will depend on whether he can win the Champions League this season.

Real Madrid boss Ancelotti, meanwhile, has a proven track record in English football following his successful spell at Chelsea, where he won the double.

He is known to have several admirers within the corridors of power at the Etihad and will be considered alongside Simeone and Guardiola.

The Italian led Real to their tenth European Cup last season and the Spanish giants are currently top of La Liga ahead of arch-rivals Barca.

But despite the success he has still to be rewarded with a new deal at the Bernabeu by president Florentino Perez and will enter the final year of his current contract before the start of next season.

Pellegrini still has the chance to save City's season and his own job - but he appears to be on borrowed time.

He was set a target of defending the league title this season and making progress in Europe but is now in serious danger of failing on both counts, despite spending almost £80m on new signings.

Pellegrini won the Premier League and Capital One Cup in his first season but, like Roberto Mancini before him, has found defending the title a much more difficult challenge.

The big spenders have won just two of their last nine games in all competitions and need a minor miracle to overcome Barca in the Nou Camp on March 18 if they are to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.