Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has urged Chelsea to give his former No 2 Enzo Maresca time as manager.

Guardiola has no doubts Maresca will succeed at Stamford Bridge having won the Championship with Leicester if the trigger-happy Blues stand by him.

Maresca became Chelsea’s fourth permanent manager since 2021, when the Italian was appointed in July and Guardiola says every coach needs time to succeed.

Speaking ahead of Manchester City’s match with Chelsea on Sunday, Guardiola said of his former assistant manager:

“My advice is give him time. “My advice for the owners at Chelsea is give him time and it will work.

“All the managers need time, right? I don’t know if Chelsea is the place is to do the deals, but give him time and it will work, that’s my feeling.”

He added: “The job that Enzo has done at Leicester belongs absolutely to him, his staff and his players. Leicester were promoted to the Premier League again and my influence was zero, zero.

“I didn’t score one goal, I didn’t save anything, I didn’t have any idea. When you’re in my staff, it’s not just in one direction. I gave them the info, but they give it to me too and I learn from them too. It’s back and forth.

“It’s on both sides and the success for the people working together absolutely belongs to them.”