Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Manchester City declined the option to reschedule their Carabao Cup match against Watford to alleviate fixture congestion. The decision comes as City faces a demanding schedule, playing four matches across three competitions over 11 days, including a significant match against Arsenal just 48 hours prior to the Watford game. Guardiola highlighted concerns over player health, stating that players require four to five days of recovery, yet they will have only two days between matches. The alternative to move the match to London was rejected in favor of playing at home, allowing fans to support the team. Guardiola criticized the current scheduling practices, warning that without changes, the situation will worsen with the introduction of new competitions. He emphasized that the focus should be on player health, not just financial aspects.