West Brom vs. Manchester City: Pep Guardiola's Key Pre-Match Presser Comments

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola once again made assurances that captain Vincent Kompany's future lies at the Etihad Stadium ahead of the Sky Blues' visit to West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Saturday.

James Ducker in the Telegraph reported after the Belgian centre-back was taken off at half-time in City's midweek EFL Cup loss to Manchester United that Kompany faces a battle both to prove his fitness and that he can play to Guardiola's style.

Before City's last league outing against Southampton, the Spanish manager denied reports Kompany was no longer in his plans for the future, according to Goal's Sam Lee.

And he again backed the 30-year-old ahead of City's trip to the Hawthorns, per BBC Sport's Juliette Ferrington:

Guardiola also addressed recent rumours that he was contacted last year by Real Madrid as they attempted to recruit him to manage at the Santiago Bernabeu, per Cadena Ser (via The Independent's Jack Austin).

The former Barcelona boss admitted it would not be a move that interested him given his allegiances to the Catalan giants, per Simon Bajkowski and Alexandra Porter in the Manchester Evening News: "I'm a follower of Barcelona. I don't think Real Madrid needs a manager like me, and I wouldn't fit there either."

After a phenomenal start to the season, Guardiola has now hit his first slump as City manager. The Sky Blues' defeat to United was their sixth match on the bounce without a win in all competitions.

They remain atop the Premier League standings, though, and Guardiola looked to put a positive spin on his side's recent run, while admitting they need a win against the Baggies, per Andy Hampson of the Press Association: "We have to win again for the mind, for the players. Not for anything else. We don't give up and maybe the situation will make us stronger for the future."

His spirit has clearly not been dampened by a recent lack of wins, and Guardiola said he is very happy in his role with City, per Hampson:

City have won their last nine league matches against West Brom, a run stretching back to a 0-0 Boxing Day draw in 2011.

Per ESPN FC's Ben Dinnery, Pablo Zabaleta and Kevin De Bruyne could both be absent as City look to make it 10 in a row:

But, despite injuries and their recent slump in form, City still have more than enough quality to get the better of Tony Pulis' side again and returning to winning ways.