Pep Guardiola leaves reporters gobsmacked with claim about this Premier League season

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola left reporters shocked with a surprise admission about the new Premier League season.

City are aiming to win five Premier League titles under the Spaniard this season - and would become the first team ever to do so in the history of the English top division.

They take on Chelsea in their first game of the new season at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

City have already started their campaign by winning silverware in the Community Shield, but will likely face a major test from Arsenal once again in pursuit of regaining their title once more.

For Guardiola, who has yet to commit his future to City beyond the end of his current contract at the end of this season, the upcoming campaign could prove to be his last opportunity to add more silverware to his English football CV.

But his comments to reporters ahead of the Chelsea clash has left people stunned.

When asked about the Premier League title race and whether he could win an unprecedented fifth consecutive crown, Guardiola responded: "Now? Motivation to win another Premier League is not there. For me, it is not there."

The Spaniard, however, did explain his thinking behind the comment, adding: "It will be in the last month."

"We have to look at ourselves," he said. "What we can do better. Always we can improve, the desire to individually be better.

"Players want to be better individually. If we increase everyone a little bit, we increase 11 players, our strength will be 11 times better. This is the target - to focus.

"The satisfaction to win the trophy cannot be [because] we won it. That won't change much.

"It's how individually we can be better to help the team. That will help to the better again.

"Arrive in the last month close to win another Premier League, then that will be the motivation. Now, the motivation to win another Premier League is not there. Now, it is can we beat Chelsea?"