Pep Guardiola sends body language warning to Man City squad

Pep Guardiola has revealed he looks at players' body language to decide his starting XI, hinting at a few poor trainers at Manchester City.

Players are having to adapt to the strains of a packed winter schedule which included a World Cup while Premier League games come thick and fast.

However, Guardiola has made some interesting lineup selections in games against Leeds and Everton, with both Joao Cancelo and Phil Foden failing to make the XI in either fixture.

City were held to a draw by Everton in their most recent outing and Guardiola said after the game that the mood of his players can dictate who he picks on matchday, also claiming 'sometimes they are not good' in regards to body language.

He said: "We have to play with 11 - we cannot play with 13 - and every time it is difficult to choose for me because always top players are not playing.

"Mainly lately – perhaps as I am older - I look at the body language in the training sessions and everything. You cannot play good when the body language is not correct.

"Sometimes I pick them for the body language, for how happy they look and how they are there. This is one of my main decisions when I choose the lineup.

"With the skills I know how good they are, and they know what we want to do.

"But the body language depends on them and sometimes they are not good."

City now face an almighty challenge to retain the Premier League title they won last season. Arsenal took their lead at the top to seven points and that advantage could hit double figures by the time City play next. The Gunners host high-flying Newcastle on Tuesday, with City travelling to Chelsea later in the week on Thursday.