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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was so unimpressed with the 3-0 win over West Ham that he refused a request from the squad.
Pep Guardiola refused to let Manchester City players have an extended Christmas break after being left unimpressed by their performance against West Ham. The Blues won 3-0 at home to temporarily top the Premier League table but were blasted by Guardiola for a display that he said wasn't good enough if they want to win trophies.
City's manager had already agreed to give his players three days off, with a week until their next match against Nottingham Forest on December 27. The squad will be able to have a break from Monday to Wednesday before reporting back to the training ground on Christmas Day to begin their Forest preparation.
However, calls from the group to be allowed Sunday off as well - giving them more time to jet off and spend time with their friends and families - were knocked back by Guardiola after the West Ham game. Instead, they were back at the City Football Academy on Sunday before belatedly breaking up for an early Christmas rest.
"The players asked me to take a day off [on Sunday], I said, no, because you didn't play good enough," he said. "So recovery, train the guys that didn't play, and after three days off, you have two days to prepare for Nottingham Forest.
"It depends on the schedule. In that time I always give as much. Listen, I learned from England, I said many times, when I arrive as much days to have a day off, you can give them. The schedule is so tight and the players have to forget. You know that?
"The more they arrive in the right moment, the moment the game will be fresh here in the legs. That's why I have to recover. The players have to go with the families and forget football. I will work for them, as always."
English (US) ·