Guardiola is wanting it both ways

MUCH as I agree with Pep Guardiola about the need to protect skilful players from bad tackles, and the crowded Christmas schedule “killing” his stars, he can’t have it both ways.

I thought Jason Puncheon’s challenge on Kevin de Bruyne, which resulted in the City midfielder being carried off on New Year’s Eve, was dangerous and risked the well-being of a fellow professional.

So I was very surprised when De Bruyne was passed fit to start City’s 3-1 home win over Watford 48 hours later.

It’s not often you see someone leave the field on a stretcher and play for almost 80 minutes two days later.

No disrespect to Watford, but City could have won that game without arguably the Premier League’s best player this season.

Fair play to De Bruyne for declaring himself fit and wanting to play but surely, going by his manager’s comments, it would have been safer to rest him.

Guardiola’s complaints about the punishing fixture programme and that sequence of events don’t really stack up.

THIS weekend, when the FA Cup third round takes centre stage, was always a favourite of mine as a player.

But it’s hard to envisage many shocks – unless Premier League teams play weakened teams for no good reason.

I never understood why Eddie Howe fielded a reserve team at Millwall last season when Bournemouth were in mid-table – and they came unstuck.

And I didn’t get it when Leicester made big changes in the League Cup against Manchester City last month.

Fans want to go to Wembley for a cup final, so my message to managers is simple: Play your best side.

Mark Hughes, under pressure at Stoke, ought to field a strong XI at Coventry. And Shrewsbury, second in League One, could surprise West Ham if David Moyes rests some key players.