Arne Slot believes Pep Guardiola’s contract extension at Manchester City is good news for the Premier League after the 53-year-old penned a new deal that will keep him at the Etihad until 2027.

Guardiola joined Man City in 2016 and has won 18 trophies, including six Premier League titles during his time in England so far. His previous contract had expired at the end of the current season, but he has opted to continue his stay at the club following defeats to Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion, Sporting and Bournemouth.

In his pre-match press conference ahead of the Southampton clash on Sunday, Slot said it is good news for Manchester City fans after Guardiola extended his contract.

“It’s good news for City, first of all, and also good news for the league,” Track said. “Because I think everybody wants the best possible coaches and the best players over here, and he’s definitely one of the best coaches, maybe the best manager in the league. If you look at what he’s done in the last few years, four times champion in a row, it’s fair to say he might be the best manager in the league.

“On the other hand, they have so many quality players that if he had made the choice to leave the club I wouldn’t expect them to be bottom of the league next season. It’s good for the City fans, and it’s interesting for us to continue to face one of the best coaches football has ever had.”

Pep Guardiola helped Man City become only the second English men’s team to win the Treble – the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League in the same season while also becoming the first men’s team to win four consecutive English top-flight titles and to achieve 100 Premier League- points in a single campaign.

Liverpool go into this weekend’s round of Premier League fixtures with a five-point lead over Pep Guardiola’s defending champions at the top of the table and Arne Slot is focused on securing all three points against Saints.

Slot added: “It would be strange if I said I didn’t enjoy being in this position, but it’s only 11 games, and a lot of games have to be played. We have to keep getting results starting on Sunday.

“They (Southampton) are at the bottom of the league at the moment but they don’t play like this at all. Their style of play is exciting, it’s a joy to watch their games, they have a good way of playing. It’s difficult after the international break, but it is another challenge.”