Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admits the character of his players has them sitting top of the table.

Guardiola believes the team's extraordinary consistency is down to other players coming in from the sidelines when required; less-heralded figures like Eliaquim Mangala, Danilo and Ilkay Gundogan.

"You can not create something when people who are not playing regularly are creating problems," he insists.

"Bad faces, bad behaviour from those guys– when that happens, forget about it.

"You cannot stay if it happens. But the guys who didn't play regularly here and are now playing more, they are exceptional. Without that, you cannot do it."