Pep Guardiola expects David Moyes to “do everything” to spoil Manchester City’s party on his West Ham swansong.
Guardiola’s City will win an unprecedented fourth successive Premier League title if they beat the Hammers in their final game of the season on Sunday.
Yet the game is Moyes’ last in charge of the London club after four-and-a-half years and Guardiola has no doubt the 61-year-old will want to sign off in style before moving on to a new challenge.
The City manager said: “This type of personality in English football, he’s not going to retire. He’ll be back – this is my feeling.
“That at his age and his experience he still is involved, it is because he cannot be at home. He will be back.
“It’s curious. My first game in the Premier League was against Sunderland and David Moyes was there. Now, another important game, he will be there.
“Always it is an honour to see him. When I’m there, he’s always so kind. He’s a lovely person, his experience speaks for itself.
“But he will do everything to beat us.”
Victory for City would not only secure an historic fourth title in a row but a remarkable sixth in seven seasons.
With Arsenal trailing by two points, City know they need only to match the Gunners’ result against Everton to prevail, but Guardiola is not looking at it that way.
He said: “The destiny is in our hands, but if you are thinking that they are going to drop, you are wrong. If you are thinking that Everton are going to do something, forget about it. I have seen Arsenal all season.
“We just focus on what we have to do against West Ham. There is not any contamination in my brain about anything other than what we have to do to beat West Ham.”
This year’s title race has been a classic, with not only City and Arsenal challenging for top spot but Liverpool running close until fading in the closing weeks.
Emerging on top could make it extra special, but Guardiola does not want to rank his triumphs.
He said: “Don’t ask me to choose from the Premier Leagues we won. All of them were so, so difficult and had a lot of effort behind them.”