Manchester City are in the midst of a wretched run of form and, in a bid to arrest their slide, manager Pep Guardiola is in no mood for festive cheer

Manchester City have won just one of their last 12 matches in all competitions and Pep Guardiola is leaving nothing to chance as the Blues look to end their slump

Pep Guardiola has never been in a situation like this before. You can tell. In 16 years of top level management Guardiola has won more trophies than he could count, propelled great talent to peaks even they couldn't imagine and set the template for modern coaching.

Manchester City, despite their recent dominance, still have areas for improvement. Analysing two key areas where Pep Guardiola and his team must focus to continue their success in 2025.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Premier League game against Everton (kick-off 12:30 GMT). Here are the key lines from his news conference:

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he doesn’t expect John Stones to feature against former club Everton on Boxing Day. The England defender has only just returned to action after missing six games across all competitions with a foot injury sustained in the Carabao Cup fourth round defeat by Tottenham at the end of October.

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, is cautious ahead of a tricky Premier League clash against Everton side on Boxing Day. City are going through their worst phase under Guardiola. The champions have won just one game out of their last 12 matches across all competitions.