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Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is trying to protect his squad after a gruelling week for the Blues
Pep Guardiola admitted that Manchester City may not have the strength to challenge on all fronts as they head to Huddersfield to start their Carabao Cup campaign.
The League Cup was the first trophy that Guardiola won in English football and started a remarkable era of success in the game that the Blues are adamant is not over yet. They went on to win the competition for four years in a row, carrying out the manager's mantra that every game matters.
City's last success was 2021 though, with early exits in the last four years. Last season's defeat to Tottenham came at the start of an injury crisis that ruined their chances of success in every competition, and Guardiola is not prepared to risk Premier League or Champions League hopes this season with injuries in the league cup.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Omar Marmoush and Mateo Kovacic are all sidelined, and at the end of three exhausting games in a week Erling Haaland needs a rest and Abdukodir Khusanov injured himself. Khusanov is not expected to play again until after the October international break, in another blow to City.
"It was a really, really tough week in terms of [being] physically demanding," Guardiola said. "Emotionally we came from two defeats. The last game was really tough with recovery, coming back from London late.
"Today the players are so tired and tomorrow we have a game against a League One team away. My only concern is rest energy for the players.
"[Divine Mukasa and Stephen Mfuni] will come for sure and after we will see if they play from the beginning or during the game.
"It is an incredible competition in the beginning and for the guys who didn't play in the first games to get rhythm and play, but when we have injuries like we have now I will not spend too much energy for this competition because the priority is the Premier League. In these circumstances it is the Premier League and the Champions League."
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