Man City players ‘incredibly disciplined’ – Guardiola

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Pep Guardiola claims that his team will have maintained their discipline over the Christmas break to maintain the standards set by Manchester City.

Guardiola stated last week that his players would be evaluated before returning to training after Christmas to make sure they are fit enough to play Saturday (12:30 GMT) at Nottingham Forest.

Guardiola said on Friday that it is “really good” because I make four or five kilograms more from the food and beverages I consume.

Since ten years ago, the players have practiced incredibly strict behavior.

The injuries we had last season were a little more challenging, but they always behaved unbelievably.

“Every player I’ve had in the last ten years, and that is not a different one.” Everyone in the club knows what they are required to do, and we have a standard.

Before their 3-0 victory against West Ham on December 20, the Spaniard claimed his players had met the required standards when they were weighed.

Erling Haaland, a striker, uploaded a photo of him on a scale that read “All good” on Thursday.

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If City defeats Forest, then-leader Arsenal hosts Brighton later on Saturday (15:00) in the Premier League.

It’s what it is, even though I prefer to be ten points ahead of everyone else. Although things are going really well, Guardiola remarked.

“The FA Cup will begin soon, the Champions League will be in its early stages, the Premier League will be in its semi-finals,” said the official statement.

The City manager added that “everything can happen” as a result of the club’s ongoing negotiations to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo in January.

Because we have 25 players who are injured and out of the situation, Guardiola said, “When I started last season, I never could expect to go into the transfer window with four or five players.”

“It is possible, and everything is open.”

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Man City players ‘incredibly disciplined’ – Guardiola

Images courtesy of Getty
Pep Guardiola claims that his team will have maintained their discipline over the Christmas break to maintain the standards set by Manchester City.

Guardiola stated last week that his players would be evaluated before returning to training after Christmas to make sure they are fit enough to play Saturday (12:30 GMT) at Nottingham Forest.

Guardiola said on Friday that it is “really good” because I make four or five kilograms more from the food and beverages I consume.

Since ten years ago, the players have practiced incredibly strict behavior.

The injuries we had last season were a little more challenging, but they always behaved unbelievably.

“Every player I’ve had in the last ten years, and that is not a different one.” Everyone in the club knows what they are required to do, and we have a standard.

Before their 3-0 victory against West Ham on December 20, the Spaniard claimed his players had met the required standards when they were weighed.

Erling Haaland, a striker, uploaded a photo of him on a scale that read “All good” on Thursday.

JavaScript must be enabled in your browser to play this video.

If City defeats Forest, then-leader Arsenal hosts Brighton later on Saturday (15:00) in the Premier League.

It’s what it is, even though I prefer to be ten points ahead of everyone else. Although things are going really well, Guardiola remarked.

“The FA Cup will begin soon, the Champions League will be in its early stages, the Premier League will be in its semi-finals,” said the official statement.

The City manager added that “everything can happen” as a result of the club’s ongoing negotiations to sign Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo in January.

Because we have 25 players who are injured and out of the situation, Guardiola said, “When I started last season, I never could expect to go into the transfer window with four or five players.”

“It is possible, and everything is open.”

related subjects

  • Premier League
  • Manchester City
  • Football
    • three days ago
    Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche
    • two days ago
    Antoine Semenyo
    • 17 October
    A graphic of Premier League players from every team in the division in 2025-26 season, with the Premier League trophy in front of them.
  • Quiz logo

More on this story.

Musona Rescues Zimbabwe In AFCON Draw With Angola

As the second round of Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group games began, Veteran Knowledge Musona scored as Zimbabwe rallied from a 1-1 deficit to draw 1-1 with Angola in Marrakech on Friday.

Gelson Dala and Musona both put Angola ahead in the opening period of play and recalled Musona’s powerful levelling late in the second half.

With only one match more to go, neither team could have benefited from a draw in Group B, which leaves them two points adrift of joint leaders Egypt and South Africa.

The knockout phase is automatically open to the top two finishers in each section. The top four of the six mini-leagues’ top four teams advance as well.

READ ALSO: AFCON Organizers Giving Fans Free Entry To Empty Stands

On December 26, 2025, Angola’s #01 Hugo Marques jumps for the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group B football match between Zimbabwe and Angola at Marrakech Stadium in Marrakech. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI/AFP)

When Bill Antonio fired wide from close range in front of a small crowd in the center of the city, it was a good chance for Zimbabwe to take the lead early on.

After 24 minutes, Qatari striker Dala, who was based in Angola, quickly regained control and took the lead.

To Carneiro’s superb lobbed pass landed in front of Dala inside the box, and he stowed the ball between the near post and Washington Arubi, a goalkeeper, who was 40 years old.

After conceding to Egypt in Agadir with a score of 2-1, Musona, one of the four changes, started getting more involved as the Warriors searched for an equaliser.

Marian Marinica, the coach of Romania, was frustrated when Musona wasted a free-kick by smashing the ball into the defensive wall before sending it wide.

The 39-year-old Angolan goalkeeper had his head bandaged heavily before continuing after colliding with an opponent.

On December 26, 2025, during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group B football match between Zimbabwe and Angola at Marrakech Stadium in Marrakech, Alec Mudimu (L) reacts to Angola’s #16 Fredy. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI/AFP)

At the end of the opening half, Musona’s perseverance paid off when he equalized six minutes into extra time.

Zimbabwe quickly counterattacked after Angola were taken out of midfield, and Musona was found inside the box by a superb pass.

He slammed the net into the left of Marques’ extended right leg while Carneiro’s legs were sluggish.

After 12 minutes of regular time, Marques acrobatic one-handed save from substitute Tawanda Chirewa saved Angola as both teams searched for a second goal and the lead.

Romeo Coolio wins Novice Chase at Leopardstown

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On Friday, the opening day of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, Romeo Coolio defeated Irish Panther in a thrilling race to the finish line to claim the Grade One Novice Chase feature race.

The 8/14 favorite, who had been ridden by Jack Kennedy and trained by Gordon Elliott, held on for a half-length lead after two miles.

The horsemen had a three-length lead when they leapfrog the final fence, but the winner held on for good in the end to overthrow the leader.

He’s Gorgeous came in third place out of the nine runners, followed by July Flower.

When Elliott spoke to RTE after the race, “He’s a very tough horse, very honest, jumps great.”

“The horse had a great attitude,” the horse said.

The six-year-old had already shown promise in the two-mile hurdle race last year, winning Grade One gold at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival before taking the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in Cheltenham and Aintree.

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Romeo Coolio wins Novice Chase at Leopardstown

Images courtesy of Getty

On Friday, the opening day of the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, Romeo Coolio defeated Irish Panther in a thrilling race to the finish line to claim the Grade One Novice Chase feature race.

The 8/14 favorite, who had been ridden by Jack Kennedy and trained by Gordon Elliott, held on for a half-length lead after two miles.

The horsemen had a three-length lead when they leapfrog the final fence, but the winner held on for good in the end to overthrow the leader.

He’s Gorgeous came in third place out of the nine runners, followed by July Flower.

When Elliott spoke to RTE after the race, “He’s a very tough horse, very honest, jumps great.”

“The horse had a great attitude,” the horse said.

The six-year-old had already shown promise in the two-mile hurdle race last year, winning Grade One gold at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival before taking the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in Cheltenham and Aintree.

related subjects

  • Northern Ireland is a sport
  • Horseback riding

More on this story.

Should celebs with dance experience be banned from Strictly? Take our poll and have your say

Some Strictly stars have some experience before them, but is this “cheating”? From West End work to latin competitions in the early 1980s?

Whether it’s Amber Davies work on the stages of the West End, Lewis Cope and Karen Carney’s childhood dance competitions or Scarlett Moffat’s ballroom and latin training, fans have been arguing about whether prior dance experience counts as “cheating” on Strictly Come Dancing.

Throughout 2025’s series, there has been controversy surrounding whether or not celebs should be allowed to compete on the dance show if they have prior experience. Lewis Cope was at the centre of such drama early on in the series as fellow celeb Chris Robshaw’s wife seemed to suggest the Emmerdale star’s hip hop training was unfair to her husband.

“Proud forever. Up against people with years of experience when you’ve never even done a 2 step, opening the whole season and starting with one of the hardest dances going,” Camilla wrote on Instagram.

She also responded to a comment from former Love Island star Amber Gill, who said: “Unpopular opinion: I think having people with so much dance experience is unfair.”

But another fan said: “Controversial take, but I actually really love it when a contestant has dance experience. You get to see some really amazing iconic dances that we just wouldn’t have otherwise.” If you can’t see the poll below, click here.

Lewis’ experience was joined by Amber Davies’ theatre dance training and winner Karen’s childhood hip hop competitions. Some fans called the trio’s prior dance training “cheating”, especially when they all made the quarter final. One wrote: “As brilliant as they are, these three competing against people who’d never danced before the show, isn’t fair.”

Others said the dancers had more experience, but the performance was better. One commentator said that “watching this show is exciting because they can dance next to professionals without looking out of place or behind them.”

Strictly’s Christmas special winner Scarlett Moffatt was also accused of cheating after she revealed she’d done ballroom and Latin competitions as a child. Though Scarlett has said she’d never do the main show because of her experience, she did defend her appearance in the Christmas episode.

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She described dancing as a child to The Sun. They really hyped me up, I believe. I enjoy dancing, but I was a young girl when I first started out. I’m now 35. She said, “I did dance, but it was a long time ago.”

What do you think? Should celebs with dance experience be banned from Strictly? Take our poll and have your say in the comments below.