'I'm waiting' - Pep Guardiola uses Liverpool and Ilkay Gundogan to defend Man City

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City's pain this season will make what they have already achieved even greater.

The Blues boss opened up more than ever on how the Premier League champions have been caught up by other teams as age has caught up with a tiring squad. City topped the table in November yet the slump since has been alarming and they are currently in a fight to try to make the top five that are expected to earn a Champions League place next season.

FIFA's Club World Cup will feature City as one of two English representatives in a revamped tournament in July and ordinarily Guardiola's side would be looking to go all the way on such a big stage. However, the state their squad is is means the manager is not feeling optimistic about the short-term future.

"It’s a big question mark. I would like to give an answer but it is a big question mark and I would say not a positive feeling because we are in the position we are," he said.

"We changed some things but it is the same medical staff and same methods in training. You can change the manager or staff and immediately get injuries, injuries, injuries - and there is a relation. But this is more the age and the cumulation of seasons and seasons. In the end, my analysis of that is so simple - the body speaks for itself and says: ‘It’s enough. Give me the heart to play, but the body says I need a rest. Otherwise I will get injured'.

"We cannot rest. We have had this in the past and have handled it. Kevin has played one of the most amount of games for a player in the last eight or nine years, playing every three days and making an incredible effort with the distances he runs and the physicality, attacking the channels, regained the ball with Fernandinho and Rodri