15 hours Ago By Robin Mumford
Manchester City's embattled stars were compelled to spend Christmas night at the club's training ground ahead of their 12:30pm Boxing Day clash with Everton . Pep Guardiola disclosed that his players had been pulled away from the comforts of their family homes, expressing his hope that they welcomed the move with open arms. City have lost nine of their last 12 matches, the worst run of Guardiola's managerial career, and in a Premier League table counting results from October 1st has them sitting rock bottom.
But any hope the struggling champions had of a Christmas break were also dashed. In 2014, the Citizens became the first top-flight club to implement an overnight stay ahead of Boxing Day fixtures. So, while Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and their teammates enjoyed the morning and afternoon with their families, the evening signalled a swift return to matters on the pitch.
The festive Premier League fixtures are heavily congested. We have outlined all the key details. Man City Players Spent Christmas Night At Work In preparation for their lunchtime kickoff against Everton, Manchester City turned the 'Etihad Campus' into an impromptu hotel for the matchday squad.
Their state-of-the-art base boasts 80 bedrooms outfitted with sleep-enhancing wallpaper, and the club spared no expense – splashing £150,000 on mattresses and pillows to ensure peak comfort. "We train today (Tuesday), we train tomorrow (Wednesday) night, we will stay over here, and we are going to play on Boxing Day," Guardiola explained, per the Daily Mail , reinforcing his desire for the players to embrace the overnight stay, adding "it's our job." The need for solutions has become urgent.
Back-to-back 2-1 defeats to Manchester United and Aston Villa have left Guardiola, one of the sharpest tactical minds in the game, scratching his head. Astonishingly, City head into the festive fixture pile-up sitting seventh in the Premier League – a far cry from the dominance that saw them lift the title in each of the last four seasons. They trail unlikely high-flyers Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, while leaders Liverpool have surged 12 points clear.
Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti feature among the 20 best managers in world football in 2024. As the spotlight intensifies, Guardiola’s immediate focus is pulling City out of their slump and securing a top-four finish to guarantee Champions League football next season. Meanwhile, the shadow of 130 financial charges continues to loom over the club - an unwelcome subplot to their turbulent campaign.
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