Former Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini believes Pep Guardiola's struggles since taking over will have given him a good appreciation of his achievements at the club.

After winning 21 trophies in seven years with Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Guardiola arrived with a huge reputation but he is taking time to settle at City.

City have been inconsistent for large spells of the season and are currently eight points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea.

And Pellegrini, who won the Premier League title in 2014 and two League Cups before Guardiola's arrival, told Marca: "I think he (Guardiola) values my work a little more in those three years. It is not easy to win the Premier League.

"Perhaps many thought that with the arrival of Pep, they would win the Premier League with 15 points difference, and no, in England this is not the case."

City had pursued Guardiola for years before finally landing the Spaniard. When it became clear City would get their man, it was Pellegrini himself who put an end to speculation by announcing, last February, he would leave at the end of the 2015-16 campaign.

Pellegrini left City at the end of last season and has since joined Hebei China Fortune (Getty Images)

Given that form subsequently deserted his side, Pellegrini accepts that was a mistake.

The Chilean, who is now in charge of Hebei China Fortune, said: "If you ask me if today I would have done otherwise. I say, yes, I would have waited until the end of the season. It was my initiative but I would do it differently.