Thursday 12 December 2019 23:48, UK
Manchester City players missed the club's staff Christmas party on Thursday night, with Pep Guardiola fearful of risking a repeat of last year's drop in form.
City lost back-to-back Premier League games against Crystal Palace and Leicester in December 2018 within a week of their previous staff celebration.
Although no players missed training last season, many did stay out until the early hours by going to a nightclub in Manchester following the party.
It is believed Guardiola blamed the night out for their shock 3-2 home defeat to Palace two days later, before they were then beaten 2-1 by Leicester on Boxing Day.
City went on the win 18 of their remaining 19 league games on their way to lifting the title, but are already 14 points behind Liverpool in this season's table after 16 matches.
Guardiola and the players arrived back from their Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb in the early hours of Thursday morning and will train on Friday ahead of Sunday's trip to Arsenal.
