Pep Guardiola makes honest injury admission as 6 already out v Newcastle United - ‘we will not take risks’
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Newcastle United v Man City: Pep Guardiola has provided an injury update ahead of the Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg.
Pep Guardiola has revealed he won’t ‘take risks’ over the fitness of his squad ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg meeting with Newcastle United on Tuesday night.
The Citizens travel to St James’ Park on the back of a gruelling fixture schedule with both teams having to balance Premier League, domestic cup and Champions League action. The Citizens defeated Exeter City 10-1 in the FA Cup at the weekend with Guardiola naming a strong squad for the clash with the Grecians.
Erling Haaland, Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders and new £64m signing Antoine Semenyo all started for City on Saturday afternoon as they hit double figures against League One opposition. Despite having a semi-final to play less than 72 hours later, Guardiola was keen to show maximum respect to the FA Cup and their opposition by naming a strong team - although his options were limited by a host of injury issues impacting his squad.
Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Oscar Bobb and Savinho all missed out due to a variety of injury issues and none of the six are expected to feature at St James’ Park on Tuesday night. On the eve of their trip to the north east, Guardiola has been handed a further blow following news that Rayan Ait-Nouri missed his connecting flight from the African Cup of Nations and has returned to Manchester later than expected.
Ait-Nouri had been away representing Algeria at AFCON but couldn’t help his side avoid a 2-0 defeat to Nigeria and exit from the tournament at the quarter-final stage. Ait-Nouri may be available for City on Tuesday, but a cautious Guardiola may instead hold him back for their clash against Manchester United on Saturday in the Premier League.
“We’ll see after training,” Guardiola said when asked about team news ahead of his side’s trip to St James’ Park. “We have some players with niggles so we will see how they feel tomorrow.
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“Rayan has come back from AFCON and missed a connection so was a little bit late. We will see how he feels. We will not take risks for players who could get injured again.”
Omar Marmoush will miss out on Tuesday night as he remains away with Egypt.
Pep Guardiola makes trophy admission
This season’s Carabao Cup is Guardiola and City’s first chance to win a trophy after not lifting any silverware, save for the Community Shield, last season. The Citizens were beaten finalists in the FA Cup in May but Guardiola isn’t placing too much importance on needing to end that so-called trophy drought.
“We won a trophy. We won a competition [Community Shield]. A lot of pressure,” Guardiola said.
“It's not about winning trophies or not, it's about how the team grows up and gets better. Last season we didn't deserve to win more than one trophy because we didn't play good. It's not about that. We are here to make the team play better and the satisfaction to make a good performance for ourselves, our fans and for 95 minutes.
“That is the point. The things we can do better, do better.
“When you are in the process, you can fight for the titles and win it, but after that less compliments the day after and three days after it is forgotten. That is how you live this profession.”