Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he has written to the Premier League to ‘thank’ them for his or her Christmas schedule.
The champions are one among five clubs who face two games in but 48 hours in the week.
City visit Wolves for a 7.45 pm kick-off on Friday then host Sheffield United at 6 pm on Sunday.
Guardiola has complained before about the close proximity of the 2 fixtures, which were confirmed when TV schedules were announced in October, and has since made representations to the competition’s organizers.
Speaking sarcastically, Guardiola said: “I wrote a letter to the Premier League to mention many thanks and that we are getting to the fridge after Wolves to urge ready for Sheffield United.
“We are training on the 23rd and 24th. The night of 24th is off the morning of 25th off. Then 26th training and 27th Nuno’s (Espirito Santo) team.”
Guardiola wants his players to possess greater recovery time between matches. One such star he would undoubtedly wish to guard is Kevin De Bruyne, who was outstanding in City’s 3-1 defeat of Leicester on Saturday.
De Bruyne, who also shone in last week’s win at Arsenal, admits it'll be tough to take care of the momentum over the festive period. The Belgian said: “The first game is in five or six days, so that’s OK, but the opposite one – I don’t know what to try to to. We’ll see how everybody feels after 48 hours.
“Normally it might be impossible to play but it’s the schedule and that we just need to find how to manage, but we’ll see what happens. Hopefully,https://sportsclusterworldwide.blogspot.com/2019/12/liverpool-vs-flamengo-live.html everybody feels alright for these two games but obviously, we’re getting to need to change a couple of players.”
City’s win on Saturday moved them back within some extent of second-placed Leicester but they still trail runaway leaders Liverpool by 11 points and have played a game more.
Guardiola says he doesn't seriously think the gap is often closed and claimed his side’s focus has changed.
He said: “When a team has 16 victories from 17 it’s unrealistic to think we are getting to chase them.
“We need to attempt to win our games, secure Champions League for next season then you never know, no?
“If they drop a few of games, and that we win and win… I don’t know. When one team loses one game within the last 53 or 54 I’m not optimistic that they're getting to lose four or five in 10 or 11 games because they're incredibly strong.”
If City is to catch Liverpool they might welcome favor from Leicester, who host the Reds on Boxing Day. It is a challenge former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is relishing.
Rodgers said: “It’s always disappointing to lose a game but we’ll get them right and that we anticipate to being received.
“That’ll be us at the halfway point against Liverpool so we’ll be firing and prepared to travel to urge an honest performance and an honest result.
“It’ll be a special game. i do know they’re a top-class team, a special style, but we've to urge ready for that.
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