Pep Guardiola has given a strong hint that some players did not figure in the win at Newcastle for disciplinary reasons.
The Manchester City boss made three changes from the team that won at Leeds in midweek, even though the trip to St James’ Park came five days after that 7-0 triumph.
John Stones, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish all dropped to the bench, to be replaced by Joao Cancelo, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling.
Replacing Stones with Cancelo made football sense, as the Portugal international was suspended in midweek and with Kyle Walker out - he was ill yesterday - Cancelo is the only natural right back.
But the omission of Grealish and Foden was more of a surprise, and when asked about the three changes he made, Guardiola made the point that it was the usual rotation.
And he indicated that the changes were down to off-field behavioural problems.
In answer to that question, on 5 Live Sport he said: “Not rotation, no. I decided for this team because they deserved to play today, these guys and not the other ones.
“At Christmas time I pay a lot of attention to behaviour on and off the pitch. And when off the pitch is not proper they are not going to play.
“So we have to be focussed all the time because of distractions at Christmas time and everything that happens - you have to still be focussed.”
City have issued guidelines to their players about avoiding Covid, with the Premier League being hit by a raft of postponements.
The Blues have so far been untouched by the problem as the omicron variant sweeps across the country, although Guardiola himself had a scare with an inconclusive lateral flow test on Friday, which was followed by a negative PCR test that allowed him to take charge of the squad at Newcastle.
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