Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that he could turn to the club’s academy players for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup clash against Tottenham as he looks to manage his injury-hit squad, Softfootball understands.
The City boss admitted he is unwilling to take unnecessary risks with his senior players following a demanding run of fixtures across multiple competitions.
Speaking after his side’s narrow 1-0 Premier League victory over Southampton, Guardiola explained that player fitness will determine his team selection against Spurs.
“We are few, few people. I don’t know if I’m going to think against Spurs, maybe some players from the academy. We will see,” Guardiola said.
He stressed that no player carrying a fitness concern will be pushed into action.
If the players are fine, they are going to play against Spurs, but if they have doubts, I’m not going to take a risk, that’s for sure.
Guardiola also acknowledged the physical toll of juggling the UEFA Champions League and Premier League, noting that Southampton had the advantage of a full week to prepare for Saturday’s encounter.
I’m not surprised when you play Champions League, Premier League, Champions League, Premier League and everything, and Southampton had all week to prepare for the game,
he added.
Reflecting on the hard-fought win, the Spaniard admitted City made life difficult for themselves by failing to convert more of their chances.
In these type of games, if you don’t score the second or the third, it is tough, it is difficult, but you have to accept the challenge
With City battling injuries and a congested fixture schedule, Guardiola is expected to rotate heavily as the Premier League champions aim to progress in the Carabao Cup while keeping key players fresh for the challenges ahead.
