Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola appeared at a press conference to talk about tomorrow's match against Newcastle United in the twelfth round of the English Premier League, to be held at St. James' Park.

He began his talk about the idea of having one long international break instead of several short ones by saying: "I don't know. For me, I like breaks. You can take a rest. I love my work, but I also like to catch my breath a little. Whatever the big minds in the football world decide, we will do."

On Norway's qualification for the World Cup: "Haaland has been amazing this season. He has broken all the records and continues to break many individual records in the English Premier League and with the Norwegian national team. I am happy for him and for his country's team. Many Norwegian players weren't even born the last time they participated in the World Cup. They had an incredible qualifying campaign, scored many goals, and played very well. He is a world-class player and deserves to play in the World Cup. He is at the perfect age for it. I am very happy for him."

He continued regarding Wayne Rooney's comments and not including Haaland among the top 3 players: "That is his opinion. No problem. It's normal and not a big issue."

He added about Niko O'Reilly and his call-up to the England national team: "I am happy for him. I hope he continues to develop and remains humble. I hope he doesn't get overwhelmed. Usually, at this age, when you reach the highest level, you need stability. I am very happy for the academy and everyone who has worked with him at Manchester City since he was a child. His arrival to the national team is a great reward for him."

Regarding how I spend the international break: "I wasn't here. Definitely not. I always leave, yes, I feel refreshed."

Bernardo Silva added: "He is one of the best. At the top. Among the best players I have coached, he can do everything. He may not be the highest scorer or assist provider, but he gives us — and himself — something that doesn't show up in the statistics. He provides many valuable things that help the team win matches. He is definitely one of the best players I have coached in my career."

Regarding his team being the most running team in the league, he said: "I don't know if that's a good thing. Usually, when we run less, it's because the opponents run more and we play better. But this is also a good thing because it means the players are focused and putting in extra effort. We have players with amazing fitness — especially Foden and the midfielders — and that's a positive."

He elaborated on the team's condition: "Everyone is ready except for Kovačić and Rodri. Rodri is making good progress. It's been almost three weeks since his last minor setback. He needs to take the necessary time to recover physically and mentally and come back steadily."

Regarding the race for the Premier League title: "The truth is that Arsenal has been a very strong team since last season, and they have been excellent in many aspects. In the years when we were competing against Liverpool, I had a feeling that we wouldn’t lose many points, and if they pulled too far ahead, it would be difficult to catch up. When the gap is big, it becomes harder. But at the same time, we are in November, and in this league, nothing is decided in November. We have to be cautious. Now the real season begins. Now that the international break is over, we have a match every 3 or 4 days, and this is when the real season starts. The important thing is to stay close to the top and reach the end of the season with a chance to fight for it. Winning tomorrow will be an important step for us."

He added regarding Donnarumma and James Trafford: "We have two amazing goalkeepers, Donnarumma and James Trafford. I am very impressed with Trafford's development since leaving the academy, especially at Burnley. As for Donnarumma, when you start as a first-choice goalkeeper for Milan at 17, that means you are something exceptional. All the players qualified for the World Cup, and I hope Gigio can also qualify — with all due respect to the competitors."

Regarding the impact of experience in matches like Newcastle: "The more you learn, the more experience you gain, but that doesn't necessarily mean you will perform well. This is my job, and that's enough."

Regarding Donnarumma's adaptation: "He is adapting well in terms of physical strength. I don't know anyone stronger than him. He has done a good job, and the team's development certainly helps the goalkeepers."

About Newcastle: "A great team. I don't look at the standings when analyzing opponents. They are a top-level team. They have a Champions League atmosphere. They deliver outstanding performances."

And he concluded about Bruno Guimarães' performance this season: "Not just this season. For many years, ever since he joined Newcastle, we have realized that he is an exceptional player. I believe that when players like him play regularly season after season, and with their national teams, they improve more and more. I have always been one of his biggest admirers."