& # 39; This month is terrible! & # 39; – Guardiola prepares Man City for chaotic February

Pep Guardiola believes his Manchester City players are ready to position themselves for the glory of February's "terrible" program.

The defending champions of the Premier League will regain the lead of the standings, ahead of Liverpool, on goal difference if they beat Everton at Goodison Park on Wednesday.

This match was advanced to allow City to play the EFL Cup final against Chelsea later this month – two weeks after the Premier League home game on Sunday against Maurizio Sarri's team.

There is also the first stage of a match against Schalke in the round of 16 and the Champions League. a FA Fifth-round draw to negotiate – leading Guardiola to conclude that the real danger of a season in England lies just beyond the legendary holiday season.

"When I was abroad before coming here, everyone talked about December and Boxing Day, these kind things, "he said.

"After the end of the boxing day, I watched the program and said" it's worse! "And it's true, if you do not participate in some competitions, it's more comfortable but [if not] February is more difficult. "

The depth of the City team makes them well equipped for such challenges. Guardiola said that Bernardo Silva was the only player he considered really irrecoverable at the moment.

Guardiola was keen to point out that the race was "a privilege" as the battle for the Premier League glory against Liverpool and Tottenham was ready to pbad.

"I'm sure the winner will be [decided in] the last game or the last two, "he said.

"To some point it's a problem, with all the games and the mental effort necessary to succeed in all competitions, when you lose a match, you can lose this competition.

"In the champions League we know that – 30 bad minutes and you are away. It takes a lot of stress and sometimes you need a break.

"But at the same time, when you arrive this month and in March, when the days are longer and the end of the season is approaching, the pitches are in better shape and you can have a coffee outside. – and you are at Four competitions, you think: "Wow, we can do something special", it's a plus.

"We are not in this position at the moment, this month is terrible, every game is a final and you have to wait."

City suffered their half-hour nightmare in the Champions League in Liverpool last season, finding them 3-0 midway through the first leg of a quarter-final at Anfield, before losing 5- 1 in total.

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Although this triumph has undoubtedly contributed a lot to Jurgen Klopp's attempt to dislodge City, Guardiola stressed that the reaction to this failure was a demonstration of the character that his players had to show in the weeks and months to come.

"I trust my players," he added. "I've always quoted this example: we were 3-0 in a Champions League match at Anfield and the way we reacted showed that our personality to play was good.

"I have the impression that when I put pressure, they react well. They accept the challenge to show me again how good they are. "