Man City held youngster back - now he is ready to be unleashed by Pep Guardiola

Manchester City will make a number of changes to their team for Huddersfield and Divine Mukasa could be one of the main beneficiaries

Pep Guardiola had too big a squad for too long. The influx of January signings worked to stabilise the team amid their injury crisis, but as more players returned it made for some uncomfortable decisions for matchdays.

The Manchester City boss believes that a smaller group is needed for competitiveness and trust, with anyone who feels like they aren't a valued member of the group with the chance to play every week losing motivation and failing to push their teammates as a result. Having won what he has won, there is plenty of evidence to back up the theory.

It meant though that when City signed another four players at the beginning of the summer window Guardiola made the call not to include any youngsters in his squad for the Club World Cup. The summer is usually the best opportunity for academy players to get themselves in front of the manager, but this time there was no chance.

Except for the only friendly of pre-season, where despite a squad that still needed cutting Guardiola opted to include Divine Mukasa, a young forward a few weeks shy of his 18th birthday at the time. Mukasa came on in the second half against Palermo and impressed, including some nice link-up play for a Tijjani Reijnders goal.

Guardiola was happy enough that when he encountered more first-team injuries at the beginning of the season - Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki and Savinho were all absent - he called up Mukasa as well as Ryan McAidoo and Reigan Heskey to train with the team. Mukasa has been on the bench for the last three games - against United, Napoli, and Arsenal - and will make his senior debut at Huddersfield.

That Mukasa has been spotted is a nod to, among other things, his flair and ability to take risks for goals. City crashed out of the UEFA Youth League quarter-finals to a last-minute winner after Mukasa had tried to be too clever from the penalty spot, yet in the previous round he had got them through with a Panenka from the spot that hit the bar and bounced down over the line.

He was prolific with goals and assists for the Under-18s last season, attracting scouts to games and clubs to City's door in summer wanting to take him on loan. Rejected parties were told that he was wanted close to the first team.

That fast-tracking is only a result of a delay, though. Having arrived into the Under-18s from West Ham in 2023, Mukasa was actually kept back a year rather than pushed up to the Under-21s like most of his age group in order to build his rhythm and confidence up.

"The first six months were tough, especially with City playing such a different way and the high standards from the club," he told the Manchester Evening News in April. "It wasn't just me getting used to the club, it was the staff getting used to me, what my attributes are, trying to help me optimise them. It was a little bit tough, getting used to the system and adjusting it a little bit has helped as well.

"It was that sense of freedom that I had at my previous club. I didn't get it at first but that's natural. The coaches are used to having a set structure so I can't just come in and change that. It took some getting used to.

"I did the job that was expected of me, staying down. I was expected to dominate a bit more this season, help lead the team. I think I've done that, It's been a good season. For my own confidence and relationship I've built with the managers, playing all the time has helped me a lot."

Mukasa's time with the Under-21s this season has already been affected by his involvement with the first team. But as he prepares to play for Guardiola at Huddersfield, staying behind has parachuted the teenager to the front of the manager's door knocking for opportunities.

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