Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has instructed his players to spend Christmas night at the Etihad Campus training facilities as he seeks to address their alarming dip in form.
The Premier League champions host Everton at 12:30 pm on Boxing Day, aiming to end a dismal run of just one win in their last 12 matches across all competitions.
City players traditionally stay together the evening before home fixtures, and Guardiola is determined not to deviate from their routine despite the festive season.
Players spent Christmas morning with their families before regrouping at the training ground for an evening session and overnight stay.
“We train today (Tuesday), we train tomorrow (Wednesday) night, we will stay over here, and we are going to play on Boxing Day,” Guardiola said.
When asked whether his players might mind spending Christmas night at the training ground, the Spaniard replied bluntly, “Hopefully, they want to be here because it’s our job.”
