Pep Guardiola calls for Manchester City calm ahead of Leicester trip

By Danny Gallagher

Tuesday 25 December 2018 22:24, UK

Pep Guardiola has called for his Manchester City players to remain calm as they head to Leicester following their shock defeat to Crystal Palace.

The reigning champions were defeated 3-2 by Palace at the Etihad on Saturday, putting rivals Liverpool four points clear at the top of the table at Christmas.

A late flurry from City and a fortuitous cross-turned-goal from Kevin De Bruyne almost saw Guardiola's side salvage something from the game, but the Spaniard insists calmness is required to go to Leicester and win.

"We go to Leicester and try to win. Last season when it happened, we drop points [we] merely win again, that's what we have to do," Guardiola told Sky Sports.

"We have two games away before the new year and we have to do that, so when we win I always insist be calm, and the other way is the same. We lose a game [it] happens, but we must focus on the next one."

Guardiola remained composed in his post-match debrief following the Palace defeat, but revealed his players were hurting after the dropped points.

"I saw them after the game and they are upset, they are sad, and that's normal," he said. "But we have to see how we are and our character we have shown many times that we react well and we're going to try again."

Looking ahead to the Boxing Day fixture, Guardiola admitted the recent meeting with the Foxes in the Carabao Cup was a tough affair, and that the message to his players was simply to pick themselves up.