Manchester City Face Two Games in Two Days

Under Pep Guardiola, Manchester City have so far this season taken all the Cup competitions played in the English game very seriously, playing full strength squads.

Many top Premier League sides have not afforded the competitions with so much respect and have chosen to rest many of their big players in these games. Some pundits even suggested Liverpool deliberately got knocked out of both Cup Competitions in order to be able to concentrate their efforts upon the Premier League.

Yet Manchester City have been “rewarded” for the way they have approached these Cup competitions with a ridiculous piece of scheduling by the English Football League authorities which requires Manchester City to play two games in two days next week. And reports suggest that City are furious with the position they find themselves in.

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Guardiola fielded a full strength City side against Burton Albion in the Carabao Cup Semi Final and racked up an impressive 9:0 first leg win. The reason why City went so strong in this game was in order to give an opportunity for their young players to play in the second leg, affording their first team squad with some well deserved rest in what is becoming a congested fixture schedule.

However Manchester City’s young players are also involved in another Cup competition – the Checkatrade Trophy. This is a cup competition traditionally competed for by just the sides in the Lower divisions of the English Football League. A review of the competition in 2016 suggested in order to bolster falling attendances that Premier League Teams are invited to the competition but are restricted to playing their youth sides.

City are one of the sides who agreed to take part in the competition and this year the Under 23 side has beaten Rochdale 4:2 to progress to a Quarter Final clash against a full strength Sunderland side. Ordinarily City would be celebrating this achievement and the opportunity for their young players to compete against seasoned professionals.

However the English Football League have now scheduled this Checkatrade Trophy Quarter Final to take place the day before the Carabao Cup Semi Final Second Leg. Both of these fixtures are controlled by the EFL so this fixture clash seems even more ludicrous.

If we were inclined to search for a conspiracy reason behind this ludicrous scheduling, it might be worth pointing out that if effectively prevents City from fielding an under strength side in the Carabao Cup second leg, as most of the players will be occupied the night before. That would preserve the EFL’s main competition – the Carabao Cup – as a premium product with broadcasters.

So City will in effect field all of their Under 23 Squad against Sunderland meaning they have to play many of their fringe first team players against Burton Albion. Whilst this seems the likely decision it may well encourage City to reconsider their strategy for next season. Is it worth continuing to compete in the Checkatrade? Is it worth respecting the Carabao Cup?

Right now City will be concentrating on planning for these two fixtures but it seems clear that the people who will miss out most are the young players who will be denied a game jst through the ridiculous scheduling.