By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola has warned his players that if they overindulge over their Christmas break they risk being dropped from the squad for the next game against Nottingham Forest.
City stormed into a 3-0 lead by half time at the Etihad and were cruising before the Hammers attempted to enact a comeback, creating three goalscoring chances at the beginning of the second half – all of which were squandered.
They have won each of their last three Premier League games while keeping a clean sheet for the first time since 2021, and are on a seven-game winning streak in all competitions.
Guardiola said his players were weighed before the West Ham game and met the required standards, and will be weighed again when they report for training next week.
“The moment they arrive after three days [off] I want to see how they come back. They can eat but I want to control them,” the 54-year-old said on Saturday.
“Imagine one player and now he’s perfect but he will arrive with three kilos more.
“He will be in Manchester, he will not travel to Nottingham Forest.”
Guardiola is known as a strict coach when it comes to player fitness levels and in 2016 exiled some of his squad from first-team training until they met certain weight targets.
City are two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal who beat Everton1-0 on Saturday, and face Forest before an away fixture at Sunderland on New Year’s Day.