"We have had a run of a lot of games for Erling [Haaland], for example, and Ruben [Dias] and the other ones, and they have to be ready. After [West Ham] we have seven days before Nottingham Forest and four or five days before Sunderland and, again, a crazy schedule. So, we have to do it [give them a rest] and we talk a lot about these days, everyone being connected. And the guys on the bench are connected, and they prove it."
"City are second in the Premier League table and just two points adrift of leaders Arsenal, with Guardiola lauding his squad's togetherness during the hectic festive schedule. And Guardiola's team come up against a West Ham side who have failed to win their last five league games, having picked up some form under Nuno Espirito Santo last month. A defeat to Liverpool came in between draws with Bournemouth, Manchester United and Brighton, before the Hammers lost to Aston Villa 3-2 last time out on home soil."
Manchester City rotated heavily for the EFL Cup quarter-final, making seven changes and introducing several substitutes. The team beat Brentford 2-0 with goals from Rayan Cherki and Savinho. Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias were rested ahead of the Premier League meeting with West Ham to preserve fitness. City sit second in the Premier League, two points behind Arsenal, and face a congested festive schedule with limited recovery time before matches against Nottingham Forest and Sunderland. Squad togetherness and bench readiness were emphasized as vital to navigating the hectic fixture list and achieving results.
Read at Soccer News
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