Amid injury fears Guardiola warns hectic schedule will “kill” players
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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hit out at the amount of games played in the English Premier League over the festive period, saying the schedule is going to “kill” the players.
City was one of the teams to play four games in 11 days across Christmas and the New Year, with the last two matches — away to Crystal Palace and at home to Watford — coming just two days apart.
“What I saw, what everybody sees, in the last weeks is how many injuries the players have,” Guardiola said. “We are going to kill them (the players). The federation, whoever the bosses are, have to reflect. It’s not normal.”
Guardiola’s ire might have been caused by the sight of right back Kyle Walker holding his groin in the final minutes of the 3-1 win over Watford on Tuesday. The City coach said Walker “might have a little bit of a problem.”
City lost striker Gabriel Jesus to a ligament injury early in the 0-0 draw at Palace on Sunday that will keep him out for up to six weeks.
“I know the show must go on and it doesn’t matter with which guys the show must go on,” Guardiola said.
“Here in England, you don’t protect the players — that is a big mistake. You have to do it for the quality, not quantity. Play every three, four, five days, but not every two days ... Look at how many players have muscular injuries in this period. But it doesn’t matter; the show must go on. And that’s why there will be players not fit.”
Guardiola’s comments came as Palace’s Scott Dann and Jason Puncheon were ruled out for the remainder of the season. Manager Roy Hodgson said both players had suffered cruciate ligament injuries in Sunday’s 0-0 draw with City.
“We won’t see anything of those players for the rest of our season and it is going to be hard for them to get ready even for the start of next season, because these are serious injuries,” Hodgson said after Palace’s 2-1 win at Southampton on Tuesday.
Guardiola is the latest in a long list of high-profile managers to question the traditional English fixture schedule this season, his Manchester United counterpart Jose Mourinho being chief among them.
And while the City manager believes in the traditions of the English game, he believes the Premier League will have to review television schedules which have led to a lopsided fixture list with some teams playing on two-days recovery and others up to five.
“Of course, space them out. I’m not saying change Boxing Day (December 26) but you cannot play at midday at Selhurst Park, come back, celebrate New Year’s Eve but are thinking about the game two days later,” he said.
“People say it’s impossible. It’s not basketball or tennis, the players need recovery. Just see how many players have muscular injuries.”
Tottenham Hotspur moved back into fifth, leapfrogging Arsenal with a 2-0 victory at bottom club Swansea City.
Andy Carroll scored twice in West Ham United’s 2-1 comeback win over the Baggies.
Southampton is 17th, also on 20 points alongside Stoke, while Palace, rock bottom for so long at the start of the campaign, moved up to 14th on 22.
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