Pep Guardiola explains 'hot soup' remedy behind the scenes that is critical to Man City fitness

Pep Guardiola hailed the attitude of his Manchester City players and staff as they prepare for the final game of the season.

The Blues have had significant injury issues this season, losing Kevin De Bruyne for five months and Erling Haaland for two as well as a number of issues for John Stones that have disrupted the first team. However, they have fared better than most in the Premier League - a recent study showed they lost only 672 days to injury in the competition, the second healthiest in the league.

That figure is also nearly 1,000 fewer days than neighbours United have suffered, with Erik ten Hag clinging to his job ahead of a Manchester derby repeat in the FA Cup Final. Guardiola has sympathy with Ten Hag for the number of injuries they have suffered, although he admitted on Friday that big clubs always demand results.

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City's results have been better because of the way they have been able to handle injuries, and they end the season in fine shape again. With just Ederson unavailable due to the fractured eye socket he picked up against Tottenham, Guardiola spoke about the people at the club who were responsible for such an impressive record.

"Sometimes you do the same and have a lot of injuries. In the past we controlled it really well," he said. We have [fitness coach] Lorenzo Buenaventura and he is a master to tell me today is soup, hot soup. Or say don't do it, or increase little bit.

"We are used to playing for many, many, playing every three days, 60 matches a season until the end of the season. We learn sometimes there is no training, just a little