Five Manchester City players to miss Chelsea clash because of COVID-19 issues

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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 20, 2020) (UEFA - PART NO RESALES. PART NO COMMERCIAL USE. PART MUST ON-SCREEN COURTESY "©UEFA 2020" ) (MUTE)

1. FILE - MANCHESTER CITY MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA

2. FILE - MANCHESTER CITY PLAYERS ON TRAINING GROUND

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JANUARY 1, 2021) (CITY TV - ACCESS ALL)

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPORTER ASKING MANCHESTER MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA:

"Can you give us an insight into what your preparation has been like for this match against Chelsea, and how disruptive it's been?"

GUARDIOLA: "Well, you are less in touch, the players are not in the locker room anymore right now, just we see us on the training pitch, and it's what it is. So, we have a good squad, enough squad to go there and try to compete against a tough opponent we know in Chelsea, it's how it is, and we're going there to play our game. We are going with a goodwill to try to get a result and play a normal performance."

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (DECEMBER 8, 2020) (UEFA - NO RESALES. NO COMMERCIAL USE. MUST ON-SCREEN COURTESY "©UEFA 2020")

4. MANCHESTER CITY DEFENDER, KYLE WALKER PASSING BALL WITH TEAM MATE, KEVIN DE BRUYNE

5. MANCHESTER CITY STRIKER, GABRIEL JESUS (YELLOW BIB) STRETCHING BEFORE DOING RUNNING DRILL

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JANUARY 1, 2021) (CITY TV - ACCESS ALL)

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPORTER ASKING MANCHESTER MANAGER PEP GUARDIOLA:

"Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus are out, can you tell us any of the other players that are affected?"

GUARDIOLA: "No, I think for the Premier League, they not allow us to say, but tomorrow we will see when they line up. So they will not travel, we will suggest that you will know then exactly who they are."

REPORTER: "Do you have enough fit players then to face Chelsea this weekend, is there any concern?"

GUARDIOLA: "We had enough players to play against Everton, who want to play against Everton. We had enough players, if not, we have the academy, it's just for the other game, there were, at least for the Premier League, two more cases after a few days. Before, it was four cases and the virus was inside our centrum, and we informed to the Premier League. Personally, I called Carlo Ancelotti to announce the situation, because we could play, but what happened if we travel on the coach and more players it happened, because the day before, we were in touch, all of us. What happened if the Everton players being infected for us, and it was a huge risk, because it's not about what happened here in Manchester City, it's happened all around the world. People, unfortunately, are dying all around the world, UK as well. Today was 900 people die, so unfortunately, the problem is still here, but now it is disinfected, clean all our centre. We're having extra measures like Premier League control every day, and hopefully the next tests everyone is negative and the people who is right now positive can come back without problems and come back to make a normal life."

STORY: Five Manchester City first team players have tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be involved when they play Chelsea in the Premier League this weekend, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday (January 1).

A surge in infections at City among players and staff forced the club to lodge a request with the Premier League to postpone Monday's (December 28) game at Everton. City also closed their training ground as a precaution.

City returned to training on Wednesday (December 30) after a deep clean but Guardiola said they had their problems as they prepared for Chelsea.

"You are less in touch. The players are not in the locker room anymore, they just train on the pitch," Guardiola added.

"It is what it is. We have a good enough squad to go there and try to compete against a tough opponent in Chelsea. We are going there to play our game with enthusiasm and goodwill to try to do a good performance."

The club said last week that striker Gabriel Jesus and defender Kyle Walker had tested positive but Guardiola refused to divulge the names of the other "three important players" who would not be available for Sunday's (January 3) clash.

"I don't think the Premier League allow us to name the players but you will know tomorrow," Guardiola told reporters.

"We had enough players to play against Everton, we wanted to play but, on the day of the game, with more cases we informed the Premier League and I personally called (Everton manager) Carlo Ancelotti to explain the situation.

"The day before we were in touch about what would happen and the huge risk... But now the training centre is disinfected and hopefully the next tests everyone is negative and the people that are positive can come back without problems."

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard also reported two positive cases in their camp but said they were not players.

(Production: Mike Brock)