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Manchester City team news ahead of the Carabao Cup tie with Huddersfield Town.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has confirmed there will be academy players involved from the start against Huddersfield Town in the Carabao Cup tonight.
The Blues boss picked the same team for three consecutive games last week with his side emerging with victories over Manchester United and Napoli before a last minute Gabriel Martinelli goal denied City a precious victory at Arsenal.
But the schedule and nature of the opposition will have had an impact on the City squad and several stars will be given the evening off in Yorkshire.
James Trafford seems certain to come into the side in goal having lost his place to Gianluigi Donnarumma since the Italian arrived on deadline day from PSG.
At the back, John Stones probably needs match minutes on his return to fitness and getting at least a half from the England international would feel like progress.
Nathan Ake came off the bench at the Emirates and can start against Huddersfield, perhaps at left back with Nico O’Reilly and Josko Gvardiol in need of a breather.
Promising teenager Stephen Mfuni could partner Stones in the middle with Mathues Nunes on the right.
Rico Lewis can be granted an opportunity to play in his favoured midfield position alongside Nico Gonzalez and another academy prospect Divine Mukasa can get the nod in the attacking role.
Up front, a fluid front three of Savinho, Oscar Bobb and Phil Foden may be the best bet with the latter the only survivor from the weekend given the need to rest Erling Haaland.
Guardiola admitted ahead of the Huddersfield game that he would like to afford minutes to the likes of Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki but the pair are sidelined, as are Abdukodir Khusanov, Erling Haaland, Mateo Kovacic and Rayan Ait-Nouri.
“The only problem we have in the Carabao Cup right now - I said many times that I respect this competition or we would not have won it four times in a row - but it is to arrive in this competition with no injuries,” said the City boss.
“We have injuries, so it will be a mix from the first team to academy players for tomorrow, because the priority has to be Monaco and Brentford.
"It is what it is, but we will try to compete to go through."
City predicted XI: Trafford, Nunes, Stones, Mfuni, Ake, Lewis, Nico, Mukasa, Bobb, Savinho, Foden
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