What was said in Man City team meeting as Pep Guardiola chases Premier League first

Pep Guardiola had a team meeting to discuss their approach to Sunday’s Premier League final-day showdown with Aston Villa. The Blues manager will send his players out for one last time this season, knowing that a win would see them crowned as champions for the fourth time in five seasons, another slice of history.

After winning it on the final day at Brighton three years ago, this will be the first time under Guardiola that the Blues can secure the title in front of their home fans - although they beat West Ham in 2014 and QPR in 2012 when those two title races went down to the wire. Any slip by City would allow Liverpool the chance to beat Wolves and leapfrog the Blues, putting them just one win away from an unprecedented Quadruple.

Guardiola said he has not tried to tell his players not to get caught up in the feelings of the day - with City fans planning a big welcome as the team coach arrives at the stadium ahead of the game. He said the key is not to let the emotional side get the better of the plan he and his coaching staff have devised this week.

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“(It’s) difficult to say don’t control your emotions, we know what we are playing for and what we have to do,” he said, and reminded his players that even if things don't go to plan there is no need to panic, as memories of 2012 prove.

“We’ve spoken about it - be positive and don’t give up, it’s not over, don’t give up, do what you’ve done in the last month, home and away and go for it,” he said. “At the end it’s just a football game, we are not going to do anything new. Everyone will be at home, we’ll arrive two or three hours before.

“If there are any doubts, go to the plan, we can make theories but it’s just a football game,