Pep Guardiola will take a clutch of youth team players to the Pirelli Stadium for the Blues’ Carabao Cup semi-final against Burton on Wednesday
Ian Carlo Poveda, Felix Nmecha, Taylor Richards and Iker Pozo are set to be included in the Manchester City squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Burton, Goal has learned.
City will take a 9-0 aggregate lead to the Pirelli Stadium and with a place in the final all but assured Pep Guardiola is planning to include around six or seven youth team players in a bid to give his first-team stars some rest.
Eric Garcia, 18, who has already impressed in two appearances in the competition already, is also set to be involved, while Philippe Sandler, 21, and Luke Bolton, 19 could also travel.
City had hoped to call up more youth team players but their plans were disrupted by the scheduling of the Checkatrade Trophy quarter-finals, with the club’s Under-21s slated to play Sunderland on Tuesday night.
SIX MAN CITY YOUNGSTERS TIPPED FOR BRIGHT FUTURES
Guardiola has decided to send a relatively strong U21 team to Sunderland, but has plucked some of the most highly rated talents in the youth ranks for the Carabao Cup semi.
Poveda was at Barcelona before joining City three years ago and plays in a wide position; Nmecha has represented England and Germany at youth level; Richards is a right-sided attacking midfielder who counts Paul Pogba as a mentor, and Pozo has caught the eye playing in a deep-lying midfield role. All four are 18.
Article continues below
Phil Foden, who has long been part of Guardiola’s first-team set-up, is widely expected to start on Wednesday, while Aro Muric, 20, has played in all previous rounds in the competition.
The rest of the squad will be made up of senior first-team members, with Riyad Mahrez in contention to feature after missing out on the match day squad for Sunday’s Premier League win at Huddersfield.
Be the first to comment