Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has insisted that his side will not underestimate Hull City when they travel to the KCOM Stadium on Boxing Day.
The visitors will go into the match as heavy favourites against a Hull side sitting bottom of the table with just one win in their last 15 matches.
However, Guardiola is expecting a difficult test and revealed that his players would be in for training on Christmas Day to ensure that they are adequately prepared.
"This is my first year here and people say that at Christmas you have to be focused, because at home you celebrate with dinner and lunch, and we have to be prepared. We are going to train on the 25th in the afternoon and travel to Hull to play on the 26th. We will prepare for the game as if it was not Christmas time or Boxing Day," he told reporters.
"[Hull] started quite well. Of course the situation is not good but I saw many of their games and they are a special team who try to play more here than other teams in the Premier League. I spoke to (David) Silva and some other players and they gave me good advice about what it means to be playing Hull City on Boxing Day.
"What I have learned in my short period here is that the gap between the first 10 and the last 10 is not a big difference. That is why it is difficult to win. I am not expecting that the games, whether they are home or away, will be easier than any others."
City currently sit third in the Premier League table, seven points adrift of leaders Chelsea.
Barney Corkhill
