PEP WARNS OF PALACE NIGHTMARE

PEP GUARDIOLA told his Manchester City players to go to sleep believing they can lose to Crystal Palace or risk a rude awakening at the Etihad today. Rampant City are joint top of the Premier League, hitting 16 goals in their five fixtures so far. Palace are bottom, losing five without scoring. But Guardiola (right) has been in England long enough to know not to take anything for granted, and is aware of Palace’s threat. ‘It’s the Premier League,’ he said. ‘From the beginning, every single team can beat the others. That is the best expression I learned since I arrived. ‘I show to my players all the chances that Crystal Palace create in just two games. They didn’t score but when you see (Christian) Benteke, (Andros) Townsend and (Yohan) Cabaye, they have quality. It depends on us. If we keep our level we’ll win the game. But you have to be careful. I want to see the respect for the opponents. They have to know we can lose the game. They have to go to sleep tonight and know that tomorrow, we can lose that game. If that happens, we will be closer to winning.’ Meanwhile, Palace boss Roy Hodgson has backed Benteke to start scoring and says he is upbeat, despite Palace’s goal drought. ‘When you speak to players, they are quite good at telling you what they think you want to hear,’ he said. ‘But judging by the way he is training, judging the way he is playing, the things he is trying to do, seeing his mood — which is buoyant — I would take more faith in that really than anything that he says. Actions are everything. I am not bad with words but I don’t believe in words very much. ‘Christian seems to me to be in the right sort of mood. Christian will score goals,’ Hodgson added.