Pep Guardiola may scrap Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland plan as new Man City tactic emerges

Pep Guardiola saw his Manchester City team take a huge step towards his first priority of the season on Wednesday, but still wasn't happy.

Victory over fourth-placed Aston Villa kept City firmly in the title hunt, beating a top five rival for the first time this season at the seventh attempt. It also kept City ten points ahead of fifth-place as they look to lock in another year of Champions League football - the first thing Guardiola looks for every season.

City could still qualify for Europe with an unlikely fifth-placed finish depending on the Premier League's co-efficient ranking at the end of the season, or also by winning the Champions League again. It would be a huge surprise to see them collapse from here, but despite that Guardiola was taking aim at the authorities before and after the win over Villa.

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"In two days at 12.30pm we have another game," said Guardiola pre-match, explaining his eye-catching decision to rest Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne. "I think all the teams are top and have big squads and a good squad, and of course we have it. That is the position we decide today for this line-up, for this tough opening and go for it."

At full time, Guardiola again pointed to the schedule and hinted at changes on Saturday lunchtime at Crystal Palace. "We have an incredible schedule, every three days," he bemoaned.

"The schedule is terrible. Three days, three days, three days. We have to bring new energy for each game and everybody has to be involved. All the guys were good and in the next game we're going to play different