Pep Guardiola's preparations for Manchester City's two games in three days next week have been given a boost. City host Arsenal on Sunday, and thanks to a farcical set of circumstances, they will host Watford in the Carabao Cup just 49 hours after the Arsenal game finishes. With UEFA insisting that Manchester United's Europa League tie at Old Trafford takes place on Wednesday, Greater Manchester Police were unwilling to allow both teams to play at home on the same evening.
With the Blues travelling to Newcastle next Saturday at 12.30pm, City were then given the option of playing on the Tuesday, Thursday, or switching the tie to Watford. Guardiola revealed last week City chose to play on the Tuesday to prioritise the league trip to St James' Park.
Guardiola also said he would prefer to field two completely different sides against Arsenal and Watford - which is possible in theory - but fitness and injuries may lead the manager to call upon some academy players to boost his squad. He has promoted Nico O'Reilly to his senior squad this season, and was able to play a number of youngsters in pre-season.
However, the schedule was complicated further by the under-21s travelling to Lincoln City in the EFL Trophy on the same night as the Watford tie for a game they will need to win to keep qualification for the knockout stages in their own hands. While the first team have priority over players, losing the best talents for the Trophy game would have weakened the academy too.
So Guardiola has been given a boost after City asked Lincoln and the EFL to cancel that particular tie this week, easing the pressures on the academy and freeing up any youngsters to help the first team if needed. City declined to confirm the exact reason for their request to move the Lincoln game, which will now take place in November.
Head coach Ben Wilkinson told MEN Sport: "We'll probably have one day before playing Manchester United to try and give the lads an idea of what that will look like. The first team have got a massive game against Arsenal on Sunday. Everyone will probably take stock after that and go from there." By Tum Balogun
Published: 01:50 EDT, 14 September 2024 | Updated: 10:06 EDT, 14 September 2024
Pep Guardiola has revealed that Manchester City turned down the chance to change the location and date of an upcoming Carabao Cup tie to help ease their fixture congestion.
The Premier League champions are gearing up for the first intense stretch of the new campaign as European commitments are added to domestic cup and league matches.
City are set to play four games in three different competitions over the next 11 games, starting with Saturday's home clash against Brentford. Next week, they have just one full day between clashes against Arsenal and Watford.
The City boss revealed that his team were offered the chance to play the game against the Hornets on Thursday instead, or move the clash to London - which would allow them to meet on Wednesday when Man United will be playing in the Europa League at Old Trafford.
The expanded European calendar is set to wreak havoc on several team's slate according to the Spaniard, who once against urged the authorities to consider player safety.
"It's going to happen many times. When someone creates another new competition, it’s going to be even worse.' He told reporters ahead of the visit of Brentford. 'It's impossible to fix all the schedules and calendars.
'People say with players and managers with the money they shouldn’t complain but it's not that - it’s about the health.
'Doctors especially say the bodies have to recover for four or five days. We did three and now two.
'We’re not going to change, the meetings are useless. If they decide they’re going to do it they’re going to do it.'
On the decision to host next week's League Cup tie at the Etihad, he added: 'I prefer to play at home than go to London because this way our fans can watch this lovely, adorable team at home.
'That’s why I decided to play on Tuesday. If we had said Thursday we wouldn’t have time to recover to go to Newcastle.
Erling Haaland is a doubt for the weekend visit of Brentford following the death of a family friend this week
'Hopefully we can select two teams and be fit and have no injuries but everyone knows the schedule will be tight this season.'
The Premier League champion's relentless agenda begins with the fixture against Thomas Frank's side on Saturday afternoon. The Bees are the last team to claim a win at the Etihad, almost two years ago.
City may be without star man Erling Haaland, who could be granted compassionate leave following the death of a family friend this week.
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During the international break, the English Football League confirmed Manchester City's Carabao Cup third-round tie against Watford would take place on Tuesday, 24 September - just two days after Pep Guardiola’s side take on likely title rivals Arsenal in the Premier League.
Greater Manchester Police ruled out the possibility of the game being played on the Wednesday as that would clash with Manchester United opening their Europa League campaign against FC Twente at Old Trafford.
Guardiola revealed City had been offered three options: play the game on Tuesday; concede home advantage and switch the match to Watford on Wednesday; or play the game on Thursday, which was also impractical as his side have a lunchtime game at Newcastle United on the Saturday.
It follows on from the draw itself being seeded to prevent Champions League and Europa League-qualified clubs being paired together as there would not have been a spare midweek date to play the tie.
With all three European club competitions expanding, as well as City potentially facing a later start to the Premier League next season as they compete in the new Club World Cup that does not end until mid-July, Guardiola can only see the problem getting worse.
"We prioritised our preparation for Newcastle of course, but it is going to get worse," said the City boss.
"It is going to happen many times for teams that play in all the competitions."
