Man City coach Pep Guardiola knows he can't do what Jose Mourinho did at Tottenham

Pep Guardiola is back with Manchester City this week preparing for the new season and has been reminded of what can't happen

The Premier League is back even if Manchester City are yet to feature and already Jose Mourinho has managed to serve up a speech more painfully scripted than Tottenham's Amazon documentary.

It was to be expected, you see, that Spurs looked sluggish and uninspired at home to Everton in their first game back. Obviously, it wasn't that they have been that way for some time under their coach, but because of the lack of preparations they have had.

Harry Kane only had one training session, Moussa Sissoko "just a couple", some players had positive Covid tests, others had to quarantine as a result, more still had to quarantine after holidaying in a county on the UK's naughty list, lots were away with their national teams - and that's before getting to the Everton free-kick for their goal being taken from the wrong position.

Mourinho did add that he still expected more from his players but that was rather buried by the avalanche of mitigating factors that preceded it.

Such exceptional times requires a greater appreciation of the strain on players, and Kevin De Bruyne has already warned of the increased dangers for footballers this season.

However, Tottenham's situation is rather less exceptional in the context of the rest of the league.

City have had players with positive Covid tests, players and coaches stuck at home, and many away on international duty that will also leave them without anything that could be remotely considered a regular pre-season. So have many other teams.

If it can be noted, it can't be used as an excuse because every club is fighting against a heap of problems that they are not used to dealing with. This summer has hardly been a walk in the park for Everton.

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It is to Pep Guardiola's credit that he is always quick to congratulate any team that bests City, although the former Barcelona and Bayern boss is also aware that excuses just won't cut it when you are held to the supremely high standards that he is. Were the Blues to lose at Wolves and then the manager elaborated on their lack of preparation time, he would be rightly called out on it.

Mourinho has enjoyed himself in recent weeks, bouncing off the back of starring in the Spurs documentary to take more swipes at City over Financial Fair Play, yet it should worry Tottenham fans that such a poor start can be attributed to issues that the whole division are having to face.

Wolves will not be easy for City a week on Monday, yet whatever happens Guardiola will know he cannot take the Mourinho approach to excuse any disappointment.