Pep Guardiola has warned his Manchester City players that they will face weight checks when they return from their Christmas break, as he looks to ensure they are fit for the Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest on December 27.

Man City closed out their pre-Christmas fixtures with a 3-0 victory over West Ham on Saturday, but Guardiola said discipline around fitness would remain non-negotiable during the festive period.

As reported by BBC Sports on Monday, the City boss revealed that players were weighed ahead of the West Ham match and met the required standards, stating that the same checks will be carried out when they return to training next week.

“When they arrive after three days off, I want to see how they come back. “They can eat, but I want to control them.

“If a player comes back with three kilos more, he will stay in Manchester. He will not travel to Nottingham Forest,” Guardiola said.

Guardiola is well known for his strict approach to conditioning. Earlier in his tenure as City manager, several players were excluded from first-team training until they met fitness targets. Former City defender Gael Clichy previously revealed that Guardiola advised players to avoid pizza, juice, and other heavy foods.

The manager has also addressed the issue publicly in the past, apologizing to midfielder Kalvin Phillips after describing him as “overweight” following the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Despite Saturday’s comfortable win, Guardiola admitted he was not entirely pleased with his team’s performance.

He said the players requested Sunday off, but the session went ahead instead.

“They asked for Sunday off, and I said no, because they didn’t play well enough,” he said. “Sunday recovery, train the guys that didn’t play, and then after three days off, they have two days to prepare for Nottingham Forest.”

City sit two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal and will face Forest before travelling to Sunderland on New Year’s Day.

Guardiola said he has no major concerns about his squad’s fitness or work rate but believes improvement is still needed.

“We have to play better,” he said.

He also emphasized the importance of giving players time with their families during a demanding schedule.

“I’ve learned in England that as many days off as you can give, you give them,” Guardiola added. “The calendar is so tight, and players need to switch off. When it’s time to play, they will be fresh.”

At the free OLM Souissi Fan Zone, Afrobeats superstar Davido took the spotlight, performing alongside French Montana, Douaa Lahyaoui, and Lartiste, delivering an electrifying fusion of music and football excitement in anticipation of AFCON Morocco 2025.

Fans sang along to hits like ‘Fall,’ ‘With You,’ and ‘Unavailable,’ creating an energetic atmosphere that set the tone for the tournament running through January.

Davido’s performance continues his tradition of thrilling shows at major football events, with fans eagerly anticipating his role in the official opening ceremony.

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Former Flying Eagles midfielder Daniel Daga has been suspended by his Norwegian club, Molde FK, as he faces a police probe over an alleged sexual assault, Ekwutosblog Sports Extra reports.

The club confirmed the development in an official statement on Friday, noting that the alleged incident was first reported to the police in late April 2025. Daga has been formally charged with committing a sexual act without consent, an offence under Section 297 of the Norwegian Penal Code.

Legal proceedings are expected to take place in March 2026 at the Nordmøre and Romsdal District Court.

Molde FK stated that both the player and the club have cooperated fully with Norwegian police throughout the investigation.

The development was also confirmed by a source at the player’s former club in Nigeria.

Before his suspension, Daga last featured for Molde on November 24 in a 2-1 away win against Strømsgodset.

Following notification of the indictment, the midfielder has been barred from all training sessions and match activities for the foreseeable future.

He has played 15 games for the club this year across all competitions, scoring two league goals.

Daga completed his move to the Norwegian Eliteserien side from FC ONE Rocket in January, signing a three-year contract.

In October, he featured for Nigeria at the FIFA U-20 World Cup for the second time, where the Flying Eagles were knocked out 4-0 by Argentina in the round of 16.