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Man City players have ‘concerns’ over Guardiola’s ‘tinkering’

Manchester City players are concerned by Pep Guardiola’s ‘tinkering’ and have called for consistency from the manager following their 2-0 defeat at Tottenham last weekend.

The Premier League champions suffered their sixth league defeat of the season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, goals from Steven Bergwijn and Son Heung-Min condemning Guardiola’s 10-man side to defeat, Oleksandr Zinchenko earlier sent off after picking up two yellow cards.

The defeat in north London led to an extended dressing room showdown between the City boss and his players, with senior squad member believed to have voiced their concerns over the Spaniard’s continued tinkering with both tactics and personnel.

Guardiola has failed to name the same side in consecutive matches so far this season and has continually altered the side’s formation since the departure of assistant coach Mikel Arteta in December, and according to the Mail, the players have now expressed ‘concerns’ over his tinkering.

The City players are believed to have voiced their opinions after Guardiola asked where they feel the team can improve, the Manchester side having fallen a huge 22 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool in the title race.

Guardiola’s 76 changes this season are the highest of any Premier League manager, significantly more than that of top four rivals Jurgen Klopp (46), Brendan Rodgers (44) and Frank Lampard (60).

Whilst there is an acceptance within the club that their defence of the title is all but mathematically over, Guardiola is keen to galvanise his players ahead of the first leg of their Champions League last-16 meeting with Real Madrid later this month.

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