Pep Guardiola makes bold decision: Man City will “not waste energy” in the Carabao Cup

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has announced that his team will not make the Carabao Cup a priority this season, despite their previous success in the competition.

Guardiola stressed that City’s busy schedule had forced him to focus on bigger titles such as the Premier League and Champions League.

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Youth takes centre stage for Man City in the Carabao Cup

Guardiola made nine changes to the lineup that played against Arsenal in the Premier League and fielded a mix of young talent and key players for their narrow 2-1 win over Watford in the Carabao Cup.

While regular players such as Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker were present, stars such as Erling Haaland were given a break, allowing up-and-coming talents such as 16-year-old Kaden Braithwaite and 19-year-old Nico O’Reilly to make their debuts.

🔵✨ Manchester City confirms Kaden Braithwaite as part of the starting line-up against Watford.

At 16 years and 183 days, he is the third youngest defender in Man City’s history.

He is one of the many talents of the academy and Pep Guardiola is very pleased with his development. pic.twitter.com/Y94mC0UDt5

– Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) 24 September 2024

Guardiola confirmed his plan to use substitutes in the next round as well. “In the next round, I tell you, I will play with the second team. We will not waste energy,” said the City boss. “The game plan is the game plan, we can’t cope with it anyway.”

City won the Carabao Cup four times in a row from 2018 to 2021, but Guardiola made it clear the competition is lower on his list of priorities this season. “We are playing to progress,” he explained. “But I will not take any risks with the Premier League and the Champions League.”

With little time to rest, City face Newcastle United in a crucial Premier League match on Saturday.