Pep Guardiola has insisted that he has no concerns about his players maintaining their intensity across the busy festive period, as Manchester City look to continue their excellent Premier League winning run with Wednesday's visit to Newcastle United.
We run a lot
It has been a unbelievable start Guardiola's second season in England as his side have proven dominant across all competitions, with City's intensity and style of play proving the standout as they have rolled every side put in front of them thus far.
They continued that on Saturday as they easily swept aside Bournemouth with a comfortable 4-0 victory, the thick of the festive matches will begin at St James' Park as their first of the five in the next fortnight but Guardiola he isn't worried about his side losing any intensity.
"I said many times, even last season, we run a lot," Guardiola stated ahead of the trip to the North East. "As a manager I am good on that. I am able to let them run with high intensity."
"The quality of players I had in Barcelona, in Bayern (Munich) and now here, make the difference," the coach proclaimed. "We are able as a staff to convince them how good it is."
"Going forward, be aggressive without the ball because after that we are quick taking decisions with the ball," the Catalan added. "There is no reason to say we are not able to do that in the future."
Not thinking about the record
City travel to the North East knowing that another record is very much in their grasp, with City just three games away from bettering Bayern Munich's run of 19 consecutive league wins during Guardiola's tenure at The Allianz Arena.
They do however face a Magpies side rejuvenated following their return winning ways with the 3-2 victory over West Ham United, but Guardiola insisted that he is only focusing on getting the win rather than the record.
"Our lives are better when we win," he insisted. "But it's not like I am going to sleep thinking if I am going to break a record."
"I could not see Newcastle during Christmas time," Guardiola concluded. "So I am going to sit down with my staff and try to discover what they do."