‘Not one word about tactics’ - Pep Guardiola reveals half-time team talk to motivate his ‘silent’ Man City players after their slow start against Sheffield United

City were winning 1-0 at half-time against Sheffield United but were not playing at their best against the bottom side in the Premier League. Guardiola, conscious that City had thrown away a two-goal lead in their last home game against Crystal Palace, urged his players to play with fire in their bellies.

"Today the first part was silent, the body language of the players was... they didn't communicate, didn't talk, didn't laugh, didn't shout," Guardiola told a press conference. "It was a little 'I have to play a football game' but a football game shouldn't be played in that way.

"At half-time for the first time ever I didn’t talk one word about tactics today about what we have to do in the second half," Guardiola added.

"I take a chair and sit and say 'Guys go out with a smile on your face and another rhythm in terms of enjoying what you are doing, we are not going to do what happened against Crystal Palace. After, the second half was the best minutes we had and we closed the game."

City had drawn their last three league matches at the Etihad, throwing away leads against Liverpool, Tottenham and Crystal Palace, and Guardiola was determined that his side would not squander their advantage again. Julian Alvarez grabbed the all-important second goal for City in the second half, after Rodri had given the world champions the lead.

City will take a two-week break from the Premier League title race, with their next match coming on January 7 against Huddersfield in the third round of the FA Cup. They then visit Newcastle on January 13 before having a two-week rest to recharge their batteries.