Pep Guardiola has urged his players to be careful if socialising over Christmas to prevent a coronavirus outbreak at Manchester City.
The City manager has revealed the champions have cancelled plans for a large staff party this year, but players will not be prevented from arranging their own private gatherings.
Even then, it is not something he will be encouraging and he trusts that if groups do meet, appropriate caution will be exercised.
The issue has been brought into sharper focus of late following the emergence of the Omicron variant, the UK Government's decision to tighten regulations in England and, with particular relevance for football, a spate of positive cases at Tottenham and Leicester.
Guardiola, who lost his mother to Covid-19 last year, said: "The club spoke with them and they know that they have to be careful and know not to go to gatherings and be at home as much as possible - or when you go out be careful, social distance, wear a mask and come back.
"As much as you protect mentally and feel that the you are out (of it), you can get Covid and (you must) live with that feeling you can get Covid.
"The club, every winter time or Christmas time, organises a party for all the workers, all the people here, and we cancelled it. We cannot do it.
"But (if) everyone at home, when they're with a family and kids, organise a party - I think they're going to do it, but just be careful.
