Manchester City may face additional absences against Tottenham as injuries mount.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola remains firm on prioritizing player health, even if it reduces the team’s odds in the Carabao Cup clash against Tottenham this week. Despite recent wins over Sparta Prague and Southampton, City is contending with the absence of six key players due to ongoing injuries.
Currently sidelined with no specific return date are Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne, while Jack Grealish is expected back next week. Jeremy Doku will miss action until after the November international break, and both Rodri and Oscar Bobb are dealing with long-term injuries. This situation leaves Guardiola with a roster of only 15 fit outfield players, including reserves James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly. The narrow 1-0 victory over Southampton limited Guardiola’s ability to substitute players, leading him to pledge to rest any players needing it in the upcoming Carabao Cup match.
Guardiola’s reliance on academy talent may increase, as City’s under-21 team is set to face Grimsby in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday with a must-win scenario for advancing. However, Guardiola’s need for additional squad depth could mean that several academy players will instead join the trip to Tottenham.
“We must look after ourselves with proper sleep, hydration, and good nutrition,” Guardiola commented. “We’re managing with fewer players. I’d like a full squad, but that’s not our reality right now. I may need to consider academy players against Spurs, but I haven’t decided.”
He also noted that among City’s upcoming fixtures, Tottenham ranks lowest in priority. The team is set for four away games in four days, including a Champions League match in Portugal and two Premier League games, and Guardiola insists that he won’t risk players in the Carabao Cup if there are fitness concerns.
“We’ll go there to compete, but the real focus is on the games against Bournemouth, Sporting, and Brighton before the international break,” Guardiola explained. “If players are fit, they’ll play Spurs, but if there’s any doubt, I won’t take that risk.”
This cautious approach is a shift from Guardiola’s earlier years at City, where he treated every League Cup round seriously, aiming to build a strong winning mentality. While City won four consecutive titles in the competition, they’ve been eliminated in the quarter-finals or earlier over the last two seasons. In the recent match against Watford, Guardiola rotated the squad, giving opportunities to fringe players and a debut to 16-year-old Kaden Braithwaite.
