Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola fears the World Cup could play havoc with the rhythm of his side.
Qatar 2022 kicks off on November 20 - the first time the global finals have been switched from summer to winter.
City, champions of England four of the past five seasons and looking for a hat-trick of top-flight titles, are perennial slow starters, with Guardiola nearly always the last manager to recall his players from their summer break and someone who eschews more than a couple of warm-up matches.
Despite two draws, City have made a fast start to the new Premier League campaign, winning the other four and scoring 20 goals.
“It is so important to maintain our consistent start to the season,” said Guardiola. “I am not thinking much outside the next game."
Mindful of the rigours of a long and arduous season on four fronts — City kicked off their Champions League quest with a 4-0 win over Sevilla on Tuesday — and the physical and mental toll that will take on a high-quality but deliberately small squad, the Catalan maestro prefers to build to a crescendo through the middle of the season.
November and December have traditionally been a time when City flourish. However, Guardiola knows he cannot rely on that regular surge this time around, with the Premier League resuming only on December 26 — 12 days after the World Cup final.
“Two seasons ago we lost seven points in the first five games and last season we lost five points in the first five games," he added. "We cannot forget three seasons ago when Liverpool won the Premier League, we lost five points in the first five games.
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SEVILLA RATINGS: Bono – 4. Never stood a chance for the goals, made some important saves to limit Manchester City to just four with their dominance. AFP -
Marcos Acuña – 2. Struggled to cope with Man City’s forward pressing when playing out the back. Getty Images -
Tanguy Nianzou – 2. Had a tough time handling the movement and physicality of Haaland like the rest of the defence. AFP -
Jesús Navas – 3. Looked to cause problems down the right-hand side against his former club, however nothing which caused any danger. Getty Images -
Sevilla's Jesus Navas (left) and Manchester City's Bernardo Silva battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League Group G match at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium in Seville, Spain. Picture date: Tuesday September 6, 2022. -
Nemanja Gudelj – 2. Was outclassed by the away side's midfield and struggled in the first half bringing the ball forward with no physical presence up top. AP Photo -
Thomas Delaney – 2. Wasn’t a great performance from the Dane who was hooked off at half time by manager Julen Lopetegui. AFP -
Alex Telles – 3. Performed okay considering he was in a more further forward role than he is used to, but not the Manchester United loanee’s most memorable outing. AFP -
Ivan Rakitić – 2. Struggled to bring any kind of creativity into the match for Sevilla, an off day for the former Barcelona man who came off at half time. EPA -
Papu Gómez – 4. His pace offered a threat in the final third but going forward his side created little. EPA -
Isco- 3. The Spaniard tried dropping deeper at times to get into the game and create some attacks. However, City's pressing proved too much for him. AFP -
SUBS: Kasper Dolberg – 4. Came on for Telles in the 56th minute, created a few half chances but nothing to scare City. AFP -
Luca De La Torre – 3. Replaced Gomez in the 73rd minute, struggled to make an impact on the game. Getty Images -
Joan Jordán – 5. Subbed on for Delaney at half time, added some much-needed energy into his side’s midfield but didn’t affect the outcome of the match. Getty Images -
Adnan Januzaj – N/A. Replaced Isco in the 78th minute, was too late to turn his sides fortunes with them being 3-0 down. AFP -
Rafa Mir – 6. Came on for Rakitic at half time, he gave Sevilla a physical presence up top which helped the Spanish side but struggled to have any real chances. AP Photo -
MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Ederson – 7. A quiet day at the office for Ederson, who spent most of the game watching his side playing in the opponent’s half. Getty Images -
Sergio Gómez – 8. Didn’t have too much to do defensively, however, brought energy coming forward and looked bright going down the left. AP Photo -
Rúben Dias – 9. Will be pleased with another clean sheet for his side and topped it off by making it 4-0 in the dying embers at point blank range. Getty Images -
Manuel Akanji – 8. An impressive debut for the Swiss defender despite not having too much to do, looked comfortable in possession and settled into the side already. Getty Images -
João Cancelo – 8. Defensively didn’t face any problems and was able to create numerous chances going forward down the right. Reuters -
Bernardo Silva – 7. Looked assured in the midfield and a composed performance which Pep Guardiola will be happy with. AP Photo -
Rodri – 8. Played a key role in not giving the Sevilla midfield a look-in all match. His physical presence in the middle of the park caused problems for Sevilla. AFP -
Kevin De Bruyne – 9. A routine assist for the Belgian who is beginning to form a dangerous connection with Haaland, who was on the end of the midfielder's cross to make it 1-0. PA -
Jack Grealish – 8. Was effective cutting in from the left-hand side, overall, a decent showing after a spell out the team with injury. PA -
Phil Foden – 9. Showed great composure for his goal in the second half which was a fine finish. Was a threat all match making dangerous runs down the right. Getty Images -
Erling Haaland – 10. Added another two goals to his prolific Champions League scoring record with yet another excellent performance. His physicality and poacher's instinct proved too much for the Sevilla defence. EPA -
SUBS: Ilkay Gundogan – 7. Subbed on for Grealish in the 62nd minute, it was steady cruising after he came on with his side 2-0 up and wasn’t left with much to do .AP Photo -
Julián Álvarez – N/A. Subbed on for Haaland in the 71st minute, provided some pressing with his fresh legs on the opposition defence. Getty Images -
Cole Palmer – N/A. Came on for Foden in the 71st minute, the youngster looked a constant threat when on and almost got on the scoresheet late on. Getty Images -
Kalvin Phillips – 7. Replaced Rodri on 78 minutes, played some exceptional long-distance diagonal passes from the midfield while his side looked to put the tie to bed. AFP -
Riyad Mahrez – N/A. Replaced De Bruyne on 78 minutes, went through the motions with his team cruising. Getty Images
“Always in this period we drop points, then after we make maybe 12, 13, 14 games in a row winning.
“This year that isn’t going to happen because when we are strongest — October, November, December — this is the World Cup.
“We feel good and we have been quite consistent so far. I have liked what I have seen from day one, now we need to continue. It is a hectic schedule. In the Premier League if you relax a little I know what will happen.”
The period after the traditional November hiatus has been, as Guardiola alluded to, a time City usually hit their straps.
Last season they won 11 successive Premier League games from November 21, scoring 32 goals in the process.
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1) Erling Haaland opened his Manchester City goals account with a penalty in the 2-0 win against West Ham United at London Stadium on August 7, 2022. Getty -
2) Haaland celebrates after also scoring the second goal against West Ham. Reuters -
3) Haaland was on target again in the thrilling 3-3 draw against Newcastle United St James' Park on August 21, 2022. Getty -
4) City fell two behind at home to Crystal Palace on August 27, but a shock was averted. Haaland celebrates after scoring their second goal in a 4-2 win. EPA -
5) ...and the Norwegian soon added their third against Palace. AP -
6) ... and their fourth for his first City hat-trick. PA -
7) Haaland clearly enjoyed scoring a treble, so he helped himself to another in the 6-0 destruction of Nottingham Forest at Etihad Stadium on August 31, 2022. This was the first. Getty -
8) Haaland celebrates after scoring his second goal against Forest. EPA -
9) Haaland completes his hat-trick against Forest. AFP -
10) Doubles figures for Haaland on September 3 as he scores in the 1-1 draw at Aston Villa. Action Images -
11) Haaland opens his City Champions League account with the opening goal in the 4-0 victory at Sevilla on September 6. EPA -
12) Haaland celebrates with teammates after scoring his second and City's third against Sevilla. Getty -
13) Erling Haaland scores a spectacular winner in the 2-1 Champions League victory against former club Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad stadium on September 14, 2022. AP -
14) Haaland on the mark again, this time in the 3-0 win at Wolves on September 17. PA -
15) A first Manchester derby for Erling Haaland, and he scores the second goal in City's 6-3 Premier League win against United on October 2, 2022. Getty -
16) No stopping the Norwegian in the derby as he scores again against United. PA -
17) Haaland scores City's fifth goal against United and completes his hat-trick. Reuters -
18) Erling Haaland celebrates scoring the opening goal in the Champions League win against FC Copenhagen on October 5, 2022. PA -
19) Erling Haaland scores his second goal against FC Copenhagen - and was taken off at half-time to spare them more punishment. AP -
20) Erling Haaland scored his 20th of the season in the 4-0 rout against Southampton on October 8. EPA -
21) Haaland celebrates after scoring City's opening goal in the 3-1 Premier League win against Brighton at Etihad Stadium on October 22, 2022. PA -
22) Haaland adds his 22nd goal for City from the penalty spot against Brighton. Getty -
23) Erling Haaland is congratulated by his teammates after scoring the late winner in the 2-1 victory against Fulham at Etihad Stadium on November 5, 2022. AP -
24) Haaland celebrates scoring the opening goal in the 3-2 League Cup fourth round win against at Liverpool at Etihad Stadium on December 22, 2022. Getty -
25) A quarter of a century as Haaland celebrates scoring City's second goal in the 3-1 Premier League win against Leeds at Elland Road on December 28, 2022. PA -
26) And another against Leeds on the same night. PA -
27) Rounding off the year with another goal, but a surprise draw, Haaland scored in the 1-1 Premier League game against Everton at the Etihad Stadium on December 31, 2022. AFP -
28) Haaland heads City's second in the 4-2 Premier League win against Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium on January 19, 2023. PA -
29) Haaland after scoring the first in the 3-0 Premier League win against Wolves at Etihad Stadium on January 22, 2023. Getty -
30) Yes, 30 for the season in January, as he nets again against Wolves. PA -
31) Wolves suffer even more as Haaland completes his hat-trick. AFP -
32) A crucial game in the title race and Haaland scores City's third in the 3-1 win against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on February 15, 2023. Getty -
33) Bournemouth goalkeeper Neto fails to stop Haaland from scoring City's second goal in their 4-1 Premier League win at the Vitality Stadium on February 25, 2023. PA -
34) City players celebrate after Haaland scores the only goal in the Premier League win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on March 11, 2023. Getty -
35) The start of an incredible night - even by Haaland's astonishing standards - as he scores the first goal in the 7-0 Champions League destruction of RB Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium on March 14, 2023. AFP -
36) ... No 2 on the night soon followed. Action Images -
37) Haaland had a hat-trick before half-time. AFP -
38) But three was not enough for Haaland as he celebrates his fourth against Leipzig. AP -
39) Five on the night against RB Leipzig and up to 39 for the season - a City record - and it's only midway through March. AP
That was topped in the 2020/21 season when City recorded 16 wins and two draws between November 21 and March 7. In that spell they won 13 games in succession.
But Guardiola, like everyone else, is in the dark as to what effect the first mid-season World Cup will have on his squad, the vast majority of whom will see action in Qatar — though not goal machine Erling Haaland after Norway failed to qualify.
Injuries and fatigue will play a part after the World Cup but before it there is the need to ensure that players concentrate on club form and are not distracted by selection or injury fears.
City have a particularly demanding run of big games, starting at the Etihad this Saturday against Tottenham Hotspur, who took six points off City last season.
