Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Sunday's Premier League fixture against Aston Villa will be his last as Manchester City manager, ending a 10-year run defined by five league titles and a remarkable record of consistency. Since arriving in 2016, he has never finished lower than third, and City have never missed out on the Champions League.

Guardiola's departure is enabled by a break clause in his contract, which extends to 2027 but allows him to walk away this summer. Behind the scenes, City executives have been planning the transition for some time. Enzo Maresca, a former Guardiola assistant at City who left Chelsea in January, has emerged as the leading candidate to replace him.

For Guardiola, the FA Cup and Carabao Cup hold more personal weight than league titles because they test consistency under pressure. He'll step down having taken City to Wembley 24 times, but the question now is whether anyone can replicate the tactical imprint he left across English football.