Manchester, United Kingdom: Pep Guardiola saw Manchester City return to winning ways at the end of the Premier League鈥檚 exhausting holiday schedule, but warned the English game is in danger of destroying its top stars.
City beat Watford 3-1 on Tuesday, 48 hours after the leaders saw their 18-game winning streak come to an end in a draw at Crystal Palace.
A spell of four games in 11 days has taken its toll, with City鈥檚 Brazilian striker Gabriel Jesus sustaining a knee ligament injury which will sideline him for four to six weeks.
Full-back Kyle Walker also limped off after the victory over Watford with what appeared to be a groin injury.
鈥淲e are going to check it out, he (Walker) might have a little problem,鈥� Guardiola said.
鈥淏ut what everyone saw in the last weeks is how many injuries the players have. We are going to kill them.
鈥淭he federation bosses have to reflect a little bit. It鈥檚 not normal to play (December) 31st and two days later.
鈥淚 know the show must go on, but... that is not normal.
鈥淭hey (the authorities) have to control it. They don鈥檛 protect the players and they are who the people come to watch.
鈥淗ere in England you don鈥檛 protect the players, you have to look for the quality, not the quantity.鈥�
Guardiola is the latest in a long list of high-profile managers to question the traditional English fixture schedule this season, his Manchester United counterpart Jose Mourinho being chief among them.
And while the City manager believes in the traditions of the English game, he believes the Premier League will have to review television schedules which have led to a lopsided fixture list with some teams playing on two-days recovery and others up to five.

鈥淥f course, space them out. I鈥檓 not saying change Boxing Day (December 26) but you cannot play at midday at Selhurst Park, come back, celebrate New Year鈥檚 Eve but are thinking about the game two days later,鈥� he said.
鈥淧eople say it鈥檚 impossible. It鈥檚 not basketball or tennis, the players need recovery. Just see how many players have muscular injuries.
鈥淭he show must go on but were have a lot of people here, to take care of them but the schedule does not protect the players.鈥�
Meanwhile, Jesus鈥� loss is a blow to player and club, especially in a World Cup year that promises so much for the 20-year-old Brazilian star.
鈥淗opefully he will be back as soon as possible,鈥� Guardiola said.
De Bruyne鈥檚 performance against Watford was a particularly impressive effort, given that he only passed himself fit four hours before kick-off.
鈥淜evin went out on the pitch in the afternoon and wanted to play,鈥� said Guardiola.
鈥淗e had some pain but wanted to play, if he wants to play then I want him to play.鈥�
The same was true of the returning David Silva, who had been absent due to complications involving the health of his pregnant wife.
The midfielder has been traveling between Manchester and Spain and Guardiola is prepared to give the Spanish international more time off if he requires it.
鈥淲e are very happy David is back,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 know how long but he made another exhibition. He鈥檚 essential, he showed how important he is for us.
鈥淢aybe (he will return). He鈥檚 free to stay or leave, it depends. He wants to stay because he enjoys it but family is the most important thing in life.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter if we drop a lot of points, I鈥檇 never push him. Some days he will be here, some he will be out, it depends how his family is.鈥�