“Use Common Sense” – Dyche Sends Christmas Message as Forest Prepare for Guardiola’s City
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has delivered a typically straight-talking message to his players ahead of their Boxing Day Premier League clash with Manchester City, urging them to show “common sense” during the festive period.
Dyche’s comments come after it emerged that City boss Pep Guardiola plans to weigh his players before travelling to the City Ground, a level of monitoring Dyche made light of. “Is Pep weighing himself, do you think?” Dyche joked, stressing that while modern football demands attention to detail, professionalism ultimately comes down to personal responsibility.
Forest head into the match five points clear of the relegation zone, despite a recent 1–0 defeat away at Fulham. Since Dyche’s arrival, performances have improved, although consistency remains elusive, with Forest alternating between wins and losses over their last six league games.
In contrast, Manchester City arrive in formidable form. Five consecutive Premier League wins have lifted Guardiola’s side to within two points of leaders Arsenal. A recent 3–0 victory over West Ham, featuring a brace from Erling Haaland, underlined their momentum, while Tijjani Reijnders continues to grow in confidence after scoring again.
As Forest prepare to face the champions, Dyche is clear: enjoy Christmas, but remember what it means to be a professional.
