Why isn’t Pep Guardiola on the touchline vs. West Ham? Who’s leading Manchester City?

Pep Guardiola will not be watching Manchester City’s game against West Ham United today from the dugout after being handed a two-game touchline suspension earlier this month.

The reason Guardiola isn’t in the dugout for West Ham vs Man City

The former Barcelona coach received the ban after picking up his sixth yellow card of the season during City’s FA Cup win at Newcastle United last weekend. Guardiola confronted fourth official Lewis Smith following a Kieran Trippier foul on Jérémy Doku, a move that did not sit well with referee Sam Barrott.

In England, managers face a one-game touchline ban for every three yellow cards they receive during the season. New rules introduced this year mean a sixth yellow card triggers a two-game suspension.

Next games affected by the ban

Guardiola will miss today’s visit to West Ham as well as the FA Cup quarterfinal against Liverpool on April 4. The suspension does not affect City’s Champions League tie against Real Madrid or the EFL Cup final against Arsenal on March 22.

City assistant steps up: Who is Pep Lijnders?

Despite Guardiola’s absence, City will still be under his leadership, just not from the touchline. Assistant manager Pep Lijnders will take charge for the match.

Lijnders has had brief, unsuccessful stints as a head coach with NEC Nijmegen in the Netherlands and Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, but he is perhaps best known for his time as Jürgen Klopp’s assistant at Liverpool.

The 43-year-old first joined Anfield as a development coach under Brendan Rodgers in 2014 before being promoted to work with Klopp’s first team. After a four-month spell in charge of NEC at the start of 2018, the Dutchman returned as Liverpool assistant for six more years, leaving alongside Klopp.

Lijnders then managed Red Bull Salzburg for seven months before being fired. He was appointed Guardiola’s City assistant in June 2025.

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