Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak attends White House meeting with President Donald Trump | OneFootball

The chairman of Manchester City, Khaldoon Al Mubarak has been spotted present at a meeting within the White House alongside US President, Donald Trump.

The development comes as the Premier League champions take a break from their end-of-season schedule and the troublesome form that has faced Pep Guardiola and his previously all-conquering side this campaign.

Manchester City’s latest on-field struggles came against Brighton & Hove Albion in their final Premier League clash before the March international break, throwing away an advantage on two separate occasions to draw 2-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

That outing also comes as the Etihad club await a verdict surrounding their much-discussed 115 Premier League charges for alleged breaches of the division’s financial rules, although the club strenuously deny any wrongdoing.

That defence has been expressed on various occasions by the club’s chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, as well as head coach Pep Guardiola himself, while first-team stars have indicated in interviews that they have faith in what the club are saying from boardroom positions.

Now, this week, Manchester City’s aforementioned chairman has been pictured at the White House with President Donald Trump as part of a delegation from the United Arab Emirates ‘demonstrating the long-standing friendship between the two nations’.

In a post shared on social media, Trump wrote alongside photographs documenting the meeting, “Tonight, in the White House, I warmly welcomed UAE National Security Advisor H.H. Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan to meetings and a dinner with many notable, senior U.S. officials.”

He continued, “The evening demonstrated the long-standing ties and bonds of friendship between our countries. UAE and the U.S. have long been partners in the work to bring peace and security to the Middle East and the World.

“Discussions also included ways for our countries to increase our partnership for the advancing of our economic and technological futures.”

Al Mubarak has been key in highlighting the wider support from within Manchester City’s boardroom for the club’s first-team squad and manager Pep Guardiola this season, despite the challenges on the pitch.

Speaking during a press conference during the club’s poor form at the end of December, and a run of fixtures that saw the club ultimately exit the UEFA Champions League earlier than usual, Pep Guardiola explained that feeling of support from those in senior positions.

“I incredibly feel supported,” Guardiola told reporters. “When there’s a moment something wrong happened, we’re going to take a decision.”

He continued, “But I feel incredibly, incredibly supported by him [Khaldoon], Txiki [Begiristain], Ferran [Soriano], but especially Khaldoon.

“Always he said, ‘The situation is what it is and what we have to do to get better, to improve, and come on, next one!’”