Manchester City’s players will be encouraged to get their Covid-19 booster jabs as it emerged that several club staff outside the first-team set-up have contracted the virus.
Pep Guardiola, the City manager, admitted that he was concerned by the rising number of cases in the UK and added his squad were being reminded every day that they must adhere to stringent health guidelines.
In addition, Guardiola said the club’s medical staff were advising players to receive boosters in line with new guidance from the government.
“Absolutely,” Guardiola, 50, said. “The doctors suggest that they have to do it. Most of us had it already and I think the moment the players have to do it, everyone is going to decide and they are going to do it.”
There have already been a number of outbreaks affecting players at Premier League clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Manchester United.
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The situation at City affects wider staff and Guardiola will only be without the injured Ferran Torres for Tuesday’s game with Leeds United.
“I am concerned not because they are maybe going to cancel the Premier League, I am concerned that the virus is still here in society and people suffer,” Guardiola said.
“We have seen with Tottenham, first, and after Norwich, Leicester and [Manchester] United, from what I hear.
“Some people and staff here have got it right now. We spoke to the players almost every day to be careful. Be careful. Stay safe. Stay healthy, masks, social distance because now, in the Christmas time, there is a tendency to go out and do something extra. It is normal.
“But unfortunately the virus is still here, the new variant and the old variant.
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“Hopefully 95 per cent of the people are already vaccinated here. You know you can get it, but I think it doesn’t allow you to suffer much.
“But I am concerned because society is still suffering and cases rise day by day, so just be careful.”
City, who have won their past six Premier League matches, failed to beat Leeds last season and Guardiola insists that the visitors will be difficult opponents, despite injuries to Patrick Bamford and Kalvin Phillips.
“Before we dropped five points against them,” he added. “We knew it, we felt it, and it is one of the toughest opponents because they play each week in a special and unique way, and we only play in a special and unique way just two times a year.
“We have to adjust a few things because it is completely different to other opponents. In the end, you are going to play the way they play and we are not used, with our qualities, to playing these types of games. It is a challenge.”
