Redaction Simon Brett with David Tully
Published on 2024-09-14 11:24:59
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is prepared to field two completely different starting elevens when his team plays Arsenal and Watford in late September. The Cityzens will have just a one-day gap between the league game against Arsenal and the Carabao Cup tie versus Watford due to scheduling conflicts. Guardiola acknowledged the tight schedule and expressed hopes of having two fit teams with no injuries for the back-to-back matches.
City will host Arsenal on September 22nd before facing Watford at the Etihad Stadium on September 24th. Due to Manchester United playing a Europa League fixture at home on Wednesday, the police cannot provide officers for both games on the same evening. The EFL offered to make the Watford game an away match on Thursday, but Guardiola opted to keep it at the Etihad despite the congested fixture list.
Guardiola’s decision to go into the season with a small squad may be questioned if the team faces fatigue and injuries during the intense schedule of 7 games in 21 days. The challenge for City will be to navigate through this period unscathed before the next international break. If they can successfully manage this period, it will provide a significant boost for the rest of the season.
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