Manchester City will be ready for its Premier League game with Newcastle United on Saturday despite having played in the UEFA Super Cup in Athens on Wednesday, manager Pep Guardiola said.

After its penalty shootout win over Sevilla, the City manager sarcastically thanked the Premier League for arranging the Newcastle game on Saturday.

Yet he said his side would be ready for the match at the Etihad Stadium, despite obvious fatigue.

“Of course we are ready. We need these type of challenges. We face difficulties with the injuries we have, the calendar. This is the challenge we have, to take a step forward,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.

“People went to sleep at 4am in Greece when they played at 10pm. Arrive, recover with 35 or 40 degrees in Greece. Come back, arrive here late, and then it’s this game, tomorrow’s game, today we cannot train,” the manager said.

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