- Man City not in action until Monday
- Pep Guardiola granted squad three-day break
- Both factors will prove beneficial
Manchester City have been in relaxation mode while Arsenal continue to build momentum, but this can only be a good thing.
It has been a long season already, with Manchester City fulfilling more than 40 fixtures across all competitions.
However, there is still plenty to play for and the Citizens are competing in both the Premier League and FA Cup.
Yet recently things have gone quiet, with Man City midway through a nine-day wait to play their next match after beating Southampton in the FA Cup.
After the semi-final tie, Pep Guardiola gave his players a three-day break and now the team are back preparing for a trip to Everton on Monday night.
Man City will benefit from not playing a competitive match
Overcoming fatigue is an obvious reason which makes having so many days without a game ideal for Man City.
Still, it is also useful for Guardiola’s side to be able to reset after two lacklustre performances which almost had grave consequences.
City were not great against Burnley and only managed to win as a result of a single goal from Erling Haaland.
The Southampton match was even worse, as the Sky Blues came within minutes of being knocked out of the FA Cup by a Championship opponent.
Therefore, it is essential that Man City have this time not just to recover physically, but to work out what is required to play their best football again.
Breaks do not have to be a disruption
Man City rediscovered their form back in March during the Carabao Cup final, but were not allowed to build on it as there was an immediate international break.
Nevertheless, they came back afterwards and thrashed Liverpool, which has since been followed by four successive victories.
Of course, most of City’s squad continued to play as they were representing their respective national teams.
However, the general principle remains that Man City are a team who are good at finding their rhythm after a period of time focused on other things.
Arsenal’s improvement should not concern City
Since losing at the Etihad Stadium, the Gunners have beaten Newcastle and registered a draw away to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
These are solid results, but there is nothing groundbreaking about a one-goal victory against a Magpies team in poor form.
Ultimately, Man City are the team who keep on finding ways to secure victories and they just need to focus on themselves.
