Pep Guardiola hails Manchester City's mental endurance across packed schedule

Thursday's Premier League trip to Brighton will be their 53rd match of a season which started with the Community Shield on August 6 and has included the European Super Cup against Sevilla, the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia and a run to the FA Cup final next month. Last week they bowed out of the Champions League in a draining quarter-final penalty shootout against Real Madrid, but Guardiola is full of pride for the way his side have stayed up for the three-way title fight with Arsenal and Liverpool.