Pep Guardiola hopes his new assistant coach at Manchester can help his side overtake Liverpool

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola thinks his new assistant boss will help his side sustain the levels of performance they've been producing over the last few years.

Following Mikel Arteta's move to Arsenal, City have now hired Juanma as the club's new assistant coach.

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This is someone who Guardiola is hoping will help put his team in command over rivals Liverpool.

Speaking in his virtual press conference on Tuesday, the Spaniard said: "When Mikel decided to go to London to be Arsenal manager, I felt I needed someone to help us with this amount of games but I wanted to have time to take the right decisions.

"I discussed it with [football director] Txiki [Begiristain], with friends, about the solution. I decided on Juanma because I know him and what I need.

"I think he is the right person to help us, to understand the game better, the mythology of the training sessions.

"I have known him for a long time ago, like he helped me understand the way he looks [at it], and that’s why he is going to come here. "I’m pretty sure he is going to help me and help us sustain the level we had in the last years."

Man City won the title on consecutive occasions in 2018 and 2019, but they look set to be usurped by Liverpool who dominate a 25-point lead at the top.

Guardiola's side are in action on Wednesday evening, a defeat for them against Arteta's Arsenal would ensure the Reds need just one win to claim a first title in 30 years.