Pep Guardiola has a bizarre fear of facing Fulham, which has made him drastically change Man City’s training

PEP GUARDIOLA is facing pain on the grass as Mikel Arteta backed Fulham’s kite-fliers to overturn Manchester City’s title challenge.

Town boss Guardiola fears the pitch at Craven Cottage’s pitch will be LONG and DRY for Saturday’s must-see lunchtime clash, so he has had his stars prepare on a similar surface at the Etihad campus.

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Victory will launch their Treble winners two points clear of Arteta’s Arsenal at the top of the Prem.

But Guardiola admitted: “I don’t know about the grass because last season it was very, very high and dry.

“It’s like playing tennis at Wimbledon or Roland Garros – completely different, just ask a tennis player about the speed of the ball. It’s the same thing in football.”

Premier League guidelines say grass should be less than 30mm long, but Guardiola likes it to be just 21mm.

He added: “We did part of our training in tall, dry grass. It’s a huge difference. We have to feel to know what to do.”

The Spaniard accused Nottingham Forest of using the same tactics on the field to slow down his team.

Guardiola said: “There have been a few games like this, not many because in England for ten months it has been winter, it has been raining.

“The 12:30 start is also different from the 8:00 pm, the forecast is sunny.”

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Gunners fans feared Fulham were already on the beach after video emerged of Marco Silva’s stars flying KITES during training.

But Arsenal boss Arteta said: “The power of team unity – sometimes you get amazing results. I’m sure that’s what will happen with Fulham.”

The Londoners need City to slip up to have a chance of winning their first title since 2004.

Arteta added: “When I talk to the players, my brain tells me that we are lifting the Premier League.

“I want to follow my brain and my instinct. That’s how I want everyone to think.

“I hope we can catch up.”

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