20 September 2021

Manchester City to ring the changes against Wycombe

20 September 2021

The Manchester City team which begins the defence of the club’s Carabao Cup trophy against Wycombe will be made up of several academy players.

Pep Guardiola believes his injury list is so bad that he has “no alternative” but to play youngsters in the third-round tie.

John Stones, Aymeric Laporte, Rodri, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ilkay Gundogan are all injured, while Guardiola wants to rest Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo on Tuesday night, as they are the only players to have played every minute of every game so far this season.

Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Ferran Torres and Riyad Mahrez were all on the bench against Southampton at the weekend and could come into the team against Wycombe, but academy youngsters Luke Mbete, Joshua Wilson-Esbrand, Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Liam Delap, James McAtee and Sam Edozie are also set to come into contention for starting places.

Wycombe will check on the fitness of Dominic Gape and Matt Bloomfield.

Gape has not made an appearance since April because of a serious calf injury but is close to making his comeback.

Veteran Bloomfield could also return following a concussion, while Nick Freeman’s knee problem will also be assessed.

Fellow midfielder Anis Mehmeti will miss out at the Etihad Stadium as he completes a three-match suspension.

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