Pep Guardiola confirms Kevin De Bruyne plan for Man City fixtures vs Everton and Chelsea

straight to your inboxAston Villa have had a second consecutive Premier League game called off due to an outbreak of coronavirus in their squad. The need for so many first-team players to self-isolate after positive tests saw the Midlands club put out an Under-23s side for their FA Cup third-round tie against Liverpool on January 8, and their Premier League game with Tottenham on Wednesday was also postponed.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola has suggested that Kevin De Bruyne will continue to be Manchester City's penalty taker despite not dusting himself off to take the spotkick that he won against Brighton. City were struggling to see out the win against a gutsy Brighton side but were given a golden opportunity when Kevin De Bruyne was fouled in the box late on.

straight to your inboxBrighton will be without five key men when they take on Manchester City at the Etihad this week. After playing 120 minutes on Sunday in the FA Cup away on a poor pitch at League Two side Newport, Brighton next travel to City on Wednesday in the Premier League.However, they will have to do without four injured players who would have likely been in line to start in Graham Potter's strongest starting XI.

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 inboxKyle Walker, Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero will all have to be assessed in training before Pep Guardiola will decide when he can turn to his players again. Manchester City progressed to the Carabao Cup final for a fourth year in a row by beating neighbours United at Old Trafford with goals from John Stones and Fernandinho in a 2-0 win.

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.

direct to your inbox Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed Manchester United have a 'very strong squad' available for their semi-final clash against Man City in the Carabao Cup.

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.

straight to your inboxKevin De Bruyne is ready to turn down Manchester City's opening offer for a new contract, according to reports.De Bruyne enjoyed a fantastic 2020 in which he was crowned the PFA Player of the Year and equalled Thierry Henry's long-standing assist record for a single season with 20.The brilliant Belgian has firmly established himself as the best player in the Premier League and, according to The Times, wants that fact to reflect in his pay packet.It's reported that City want

straight to your inboxPhil Foden should be starting every game for Manchester City from now on, according to Micah Richards.Foden starred as City beat Chelsea 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in Sunday's Premier League clash. The England international has not been a regular starter for Pep Guardiola 's side this season.

straight to your inboxKevin De Bruyne says Manchester City need to be winning games against top four rivals more often if they want to challenge at the top of the Premier League.De Bruyne played as a false nine as City were without Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres at Stamford Bridge, while Sergio Aguero was only fit enough for the bench. The Belgian was in superb form and registered a goal and assist as City raced into a 3-0 half time lead thanks to a ruthless display in the first 45 minutes.

straight to your inboxManchester City might use their academy players for the FA Cup clash against Birmingham City in order to field stronger teams against Chelsea and Manchester United.The new year begins with a big Premier League clash against Chelsea on Sunday, before a Carabao Cup semi-final at Old Trafford and an FA Cup third round tie at home to Championship side Birmingham.With at least five City players set to be missing for the Chelsea trip due to Covid tests, Guardiola will have to

straight to your inboxManchester City take on Chelsea on Sunday in a match that will be vital for both sides in keeping their Premier League title chances alive.Both teams currently sit on 26 points, though City have played two games less, and a win for either would move them to within four points of leaders Liverpool and Manchester United.But City are at a severe disadvantage as they will be without five players due to positive coronavirus tests as well as centre-back Eric Garcia who is out due

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola blasted Everton for their reaction to the postponement of their Premier League game with Manchester City and insisted that he had personally phoned Carlo Ancelotti to inform him of the situation.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola has confirmed that Manchester City will be without at least five players for the Premier League game with Chelsea. Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus have been self-isolating since Christmas Day after returning positive Covid-19 tests and a further three players subsequently tested positive following the Newcastle game.

straight to your inboxFrank Lampard says Hakim Ziyech could return against Manchester City on January 3, should the game go ahead.City's most recent Premier League fixture against Everton was postponed on health grounds after a number of positive Covid tests in the Blues squad, and the Chelsea game could be in doubt if more cases emerge. However, no new positive tests were returned when the City squad were tested on Wednesday, and first-team training has resumed.

straight to your inboxFrank Lampard says Chelsea will consult the Premier League over whether their fixture with Manchester City can go ahead, as he predicted more positive Covid-19 cases in football's top flight.City's fixture at Everton was postponed after a number of positive cases at the club in addition to the four announced on Christmas Day.

direct to your inboxRB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann has revealed that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola visited their training base ahead of their UEFA Champions League match with Manchester United in October.Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side beat the Bundesliga side 5-0 in Group H but were knocked out of the competition in the reverse leg on matchday six with a disastrous defeat in Leipzig.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola used the Manchester weather to suggest that Manchester City's goalscoring issues are not over. The defending Carabao Cup champions put four past Arsenal to reach the semi-finals of the competition, with Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Aymeric Laporte all netting at the Emirates.