Man City boss Pep Guardiola jokes that he's spending 50th birthday today 'following Premier League protocols'

straight to your inboxJurgen Klopp sounded on Friday like a man who was getting in his excuses ahead of Liverpool's title crunch with Manchester City.The Anfield manager's crass - and untrue - comments about the Blues having a two-week "Covid break" which had helped their push to the top of the table, sparked some sharp responses from his opposite number.It surprised and puzzled Pep Guardiola, who said he had thought the German was "not that type of manager".The City boss promised to question

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola has labelled Manchester City captain Fernandinho as an 'authentic leader' and believes he is a great example for Rodri to follow in the defensive-midfield position. Despite suffering an injury setback at the start of the season, Fernandinho, 35, has enjoyed a brilliant return to form in recent weeks which may lead to his contract, which is set to expire in the summer, be extended once again.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola has admitted that Manchester City star Bernardo Silva 'struggled' in the aftermath of his ban last season over an offensive tweet.Bernardo was suspended for one game in November, 2019, after he compared teammate Benjamin Mendy to a character on a packet of Conguitos chocolates in a social media post.

straight to your inboxNew Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has revealed he spoke with Pep Guardiola before taking the job at Stamford Bridge.Tuchel took charge of Chelsea for the first time on Wednesday night in a goalless draw with Wolves after replacing Frank Lampard as manager earlier this week. The 47-year-old knows Guardiola well after they faced each other in Germany when the Man City boss was at Bayern Munich and Tuchel was in charge of first Mainz and then Borussia Dortmund.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola has backed Thomas Tuchel to gain success at Chelsea.The German has been appointed head coach at Stamford Bridge following Frank Lampard's sacking earlier this week. He is a manager that Man City boss Guardiola knows well, with the two having faced each other in Germany on a number of occasions.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola suggested Eric Garcia could leave Manchester City this month after resigning himself to losing the centre-back.Garcia stunned his club last summer when he informed them that he no longer saw a future for himself at the Etihad and wished instead to return to former club Barcelona.

direct to your inboxGareth Taylor heaped praise on Chloe Kelly as Manchester City Women netted seven goals for the second successive week. After a 7-0 victory over Aston Villa last weekend in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League, City followed it up with a 7-1 win away at Brighton & Hove Albion.

straight to your inboxManchester City manager Pep Guardiola had a special request to make after hearing that his star-studded squad will be changing in a bar for the FA Cup tie at Cheltenham tomorrow.The Blues head to the Jonny-Rocks Stadium for the fourth round tie, and Covid-19 restrictions mean the normal dressing rooms are too close to those of the home side.To comply with pandemic rules, City will be given a lounge underneath the stands, the same as Cheltenham’s normal League Two

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola was left hoping on Wednesday night that the injuries that forced Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne off against Aston Villa will not be too serious.Manchester City continued their good form, winning their sixth straight league game and ninth in all competitions to reach the Premier League summit for the first time this season thanks to late goals from Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan.However, they had to make do without two of their starting XI for long spells.

straight to your inboxManchester City will be again without Sergio Aguero and Aymeric Laporte when they face Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium tomorrow.But French defender Laporte - who has not played for the Blues since the Carabao Cup quarter-final win at Arsenal before Christmas - could be in line for a return to the side in the FA Cup fourth round tie at Cheltenham on Saturday.Pep Guardiola said that Aguero, who has been self-isolating after coming into contact with someone who tested

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola could not rule out a January transfer for Eric Garcia but hopes that Manchester City will be able to keep hold of the player. Garcia stunned the Blues last year when he opted not to extend his contract at the Etihad and decided that he wanted to return to Barcelona.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola queried how effective the new protocols for Covid-19 can be in preventing contact on the pitch after Manchester City's FA Cup win over Birmingham. With more regular testing introduced recently across clubs following outbreaks including Newcastle, City, and Fulham, the PFA this week reminded all players not to celebrate with teammates at goals or swap shirts at the end of games in a bid to reduce contact and keep infection rates down.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola is not sure when he will be able to call on Sergio Aguero with the Manchester City striker isolating after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola asked his Manchester City side for the same level of intensity in the second half of their Carabao Cup semi-final win over Manchester United to book their place in a fourth successive final.City and United had exchanged blows in the opening 45 minutes, with both sides having goals ruled out for offside and both goalkeepers making superb saves.

straight to your inbox every day for freeOle Gunnar Solskjaer says Donny van de Beek will need time to establish himself in the Manchester United first-team.Van de Beek, 23, was United's major summer signing in a £40million move from Ajax and scored on his debut in the 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace in September.However, Van de Beek has only started twice in the Premier League and his start at West Ham a month ago ended at half-time when Solskjaer replaced him for Bruno Fernandes with United 1-0

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola is confident that Kevin De Bruyne will sign a new contract at Manchester City despite the absence of a breakthrough in negotiations. The Blues are keen to tie the 2019/20 Premier League Player of the Year down to a bumper deal that will commit him to the club beyond the terms of his current contract that expires in 2023.