Pep Guardiola promises Manchester City won’t be left ‘high and dry’ by Fulham

Pep Guardiola has revealed Manchester City have been training on long and dry grass this week in preparation for Saturday’s trip to Fulham.

Title-chasing City’s possession-based passing game is suited to the slick, watered surface they usually play on at the Etihad Stadium.

City boss Guardiola claimed his team benefited from a slower pitch when they won at Nottingham Forest last month because it caused the hosts to spurn some gilt-edged chances.

However, that was widely perceived as a gentle dig at Forest for not preparing a quicker track and he appears to be expecting Fulham to take a similar approach this weekend.

“Here we are, one week left to give all we have,” said Guardiola, whose side will win a fourth successive Premier League if they win their three remaining games.

“It’s 12.30, a sunny day in London. I don’t know about the grass, last season it was so so high and dry.

“We have to adapt like with Nottingham, try to fight back with three points.

“Yesterday we trained part of the session with a dry, high (grass) to feel it, to adapt, and after we went to another normal pitch.

“It’s a massive difference, massive. It’s another game, another game. You have to adapt.”

Ready to go again