The Manchester City manager invited a question about Samir Nasri's midweek comments at the end of his press conference, with humorous results. Pep Guardiola saved the best for last at his Friday press conference, inviting a question on Samir Nasri’s ‘no sex before midnight' comments before insisting “the more sex, the better!” 'Dembele will be worth as much as Sterling'. Nasri, on loan from Manchester City at Sevilla this season, gave an interview earlier this week saying Guardiola had stopped his players having sex after midnight in a bid to cut out muscle injuries.

Somewhat surprisingly, Guardiola had not been asked about the topic throughout the pre-Crystal Palace media briefing but when he noticed a reporter wanted to ask a follow-up question only to be stopped by the club’s press officer, he invited one last inquiry. “You can do that,” he offered, after talking up John Stones' quality. “It’s Samir Nasri, about the sex, the next question?” After feigning disappointment that he would not be able to give a response, he was asked by another journalist if he himself would take part in the post-midnight sex ban “in the spirit of camaraderie”. Guardiola then gave his humorous response, insisting “it’s impossible to play good football if you don’t make sex with your partner” and adding that he would ban his players from enjoying themselves.