Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will once again not be among the managers in English football to fight for the EFL (Carabao) Cup in the 2023/24 season.
This is the earliest that he has been knocked out of the competition since becoming Manchester City’s manager in 2016. This time around, Newcastle United are responsible. However, a decision of his in the game which many believe cost him the opportunity of adding another Carabao Cup to his collection of trophies in England, is being questioned. The decision is to keep Erling Haaland on the bench.
Guardiola started the game without the Norwegian striker in the starting XI. 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Julian Alvarez led the line instead until he was substituted in the 73rd minute for Phil Foden. By that time, Alexander Isak had already given Eddie Howe’s side the lead.
Isak’s goal proved to be the match-winner as City were knocked out of the competition for the third year in a row.
Alongside Haaland, Ruben Dias and Kyle Walker remained on the bench. These are Guardiola’s three best performers so far in the 2023/24 season.
After the game, journalists quizzed the Spanish tactician about why he did not put in his best attacker when his team needed goals. The 52-year-old manager simply stated that he never intended to play the 22-year-old striker – or Walker and Dias – against Newcastle regardless of the outcome of the match.
“I thought Kyle was a lot of minutes, Erling a lot of minutes We have a lot of games ahead of us. Maybe the last 10-15 minutes [to bring him on] but I decided not to do it,” Guardiola said.
“We score a lot of goals since I arrive here. The statistics how many goals we score – with different strikers, with wingers with attacking midfielders but Newcastle is a top side. Defensively work really well. It’s not easy to do it, but we have time to have our chances for the last pass, the last action and this is what I’m looking for.
“We decide for this lineup but always have done that in the Carabao Cup since day one arrive. The Carabao Cup I always play the players who don’t play regularly.
“If you go through, go through. When you arrive semi-finals, think okay now we try to win it. I don’t want to waste energy in this competition at that stage. Unfortunately we have a lot of injuries that the guys who play don’t play. Today the guys who don’t play regularly. Unfortunately I play Manu Akanji who I would like to rest, but that is the decision always have done.”
