Josep Guardiola overcame the difficult period that arose last season by implementing a gradual change of generations within the team. At the same time, most of the players under his command are young, strong, fast, and physically fit. This allows Manchester City to set even higher goals.
By the end of 2025, that is, by the middle of the European football season, all the competitions in which the "citizens" participate - the English Premier League, the English Cup, the English League Cup, and the European Champions League - have reached the level of a real struggle for the main prize. The team has found its own style again, confidence and stability are felt in their game.
Currently, Manchester City is demonstrating attacking and active football. In the final round of the Premier League, Guardiola's side hosted West Ham at home, scoring three unanswered goals. This victory allowed Manchester United to reduce the difference between points and league leaders Arsenal by two points.
Despite this, Pep Guardiola is not fully satisfied with the team's performance. The Spanish manager demands an even better performance from his players in every match. Therefore, he refused the additional day off requested by the players and took the training process under stricter control.
"The players asked for an additional day off. And I frankly told them: "No, because you haven't played well enough yet." That's why we had a recovery training session on Sunday, and the players who didn't take the field trained fully," Guardiola said.
The specialist also stated that after three days of rest, he will personally check the players' physical condition. He emphasized that every player returning to the team's base on December 25th will undergo a weigh-in.
"I want to see how they return. If someone comes with several kilograms of excess weight in three days, they won't go to the game against "Nottingham Forest." This is a very simple rule," Guardiola stated his firm position.
Currently, Guardiola is also placing his trust in young players. In particular, Uzbekistan's defender Abdukodir Khusanov has recently started appearing again. In the match against West Ham, the 21-year-old came on as a substitute in the 67th minute and played the entire match.
In total, Abdukodir Khusanov has participated in nine matches this season in the English Premier League, the English League Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. This indicates that the coach's confidence in him is gradually increasing.
The Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester City match, part of the 18th round of the English Premier League, kicks off at 5:30 PM Tashkent time on December 27th. This match will be the last official meeting for both teams in 2025.
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