Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has said that he won’t use tiredness as an excuse ahead of the midweek league game against West Ham United at the Etihad Stadium. The Mancunian giants were pushed to their limits during the League Cup final last weekend after they managed to only beat Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out.

During that game, the likes of Aymeric Laporte and Fernandinho were brought off the field with injuries and it has now been confirmed that the duo will miss the Hammers game alongside John Stones, Gabriel Jesus and long-term absentee Eliaquim Mangala. Speaking in a press conference, Guardiola said that he won’t take excuses for tiredness from the existing players and he wants the commitment from the team as they seek to retain their league title.

He said: ““I don’t want to see excuses from players about tiredness or schedules or fixtures — that is nothing“. When you have the illusion to fight until the end, to retain the title, it’s the power the energy to give you that is higher than any excuses you can find. We have to run tomorrow like we are and beat them and after that beat them again. When you are in the last two months of the season, “the mentality makes the“ difference and I want to see my players do this.”

The Citizens are currently one point behind Liverpool at the top of the standings and they can put the pressure on their counterparts by getting the better of West Ham United on Wednesday night. Nonetheless, they need to guard against the complacency after shocking defeats to Leicester City, Crystal Palace and Newcastle United this season which have made their title defence a lot stiffer than previously predicted. Manchester City still stand the chance of celebrating a historical quadruple this term.