Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insisted that the Carabao Cup rules should be changed to allow Marc Guehi to play in the final.
City set up a Wembley clash with Arsenal for the trophy after beating Newcastle 5-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals. However, the newly signed Guehi moved from Crystal Palace after the first leg of the semi-finals and is ineligible for the final.
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Sky Sports’ Michael Bridge explains why Marc Guehi was joint winner of Manchester City’s Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal.
Carabao Cup rules, implemented for the first time this season, state that if a player signs a contract after the first leg of the semi-finals, he or she will be ineligible for the remainder of the competition.
Guardiola said he did not “understand” the rules and “hoped” City would write to the EFL to appeal for the £20m defender to be available for the game against Arsenal on March 22.
Guehi has previously appeared in the Crystal Palace competition this season, appearing in each of their three games, including the quarter-final loss to Arsenal.
“Hopefully in March we can arrive with healthy players and convince the Carabao Cup that Marc Guehi can play in the final,” Guardiola said. Sky Sports. “Because it’s hard to understand why the club is investing so much money to pay for one of our players and why he can’t play in the final.
“So we’ll write a letter and I hope the Carabao Cup will understand. He can’t play for rules I don’t understand why. I hope they can change it.”
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Highlights of the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg between Manchester City and Newcastle United.
Antoine Semenho, whom City signed for £62.5m from Bournemouth ahead of the semi-final first leg against Newcastle, could feature in the final.
sky sports Expert Shay Given called the situation “ridiculous” and said it was unfair that Semenyo, who signed 10 days before Guehi, should have the chance to lift the trophy, insisting both players should be in the cup tie or eligible to play in the final.
“I don’t think Semenyo should be allowed to play either,” Given said. “Once he plays in a competition he shouldn’t be allowed to play (for other teams) either. He should be cup-tied like he always has been.
“But it is one rule for Semenyo and one rule for Guehi.
“If Guehi has already played for Palace like Semeyo played for Bournemouth, he should be able to play in the final as well.”
Antoine Semenho deserves to play for City
“Semenyo can get his hands on the trophy next month, but Gehi joins a week later and can’t. I don’t want to use the word farce, but I used it!”
However, Micah Richards added: “Rules are rules. I understand Pep’s frustration because we’ve spent all our money on the player and we want him to play, but rules are rules.”
What is Manchester City’s schedule ahead of the Carabao Cup final?
Manchester City will face Premier League title rivals Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on March 22. sky sports, We are looking forward to our first win of the season. But what is City’s fixture schedule ahead of the grand event?
- February 28: Leeds (a) – Premier League, 5.30pm kick-off – live stream sky sports
- March 4: Nottingham Forest (h) – Premier League, 7.30pm kick-off
- March 10/11: TBC – Champions League on the 16th, 8 PM
- March 14: West Ham (a) – Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
- March 17/18: TBC – Champions League on the 16th, 8 PM
