PUP FOR THE CUP

Pep to unleash City youngsters

- BY SIMON BAJKOWSKI

PEP GUARDIOLA is ready to give youth a chance tonight as Manchester City aim for the last four of the Carabao Cup.

The City manager wants to rest some big names ahead of West Ham's visitt on Saturday, while giving game time to the many more academy players coming in to train with the first team.

Guardiola guided City to win the competition four times in a row from 2018 but is not sure he has the squad to go all the way this time with six players missing this week.

Rayan Ait-Nouri and Omar Marmoush have headed off to their national teams for Africa Cup of Nations duty, while Jeremy Doku will miss two or three weeks with a muscle injury. Those absences add to Rodri, John Stones and Mateo Kovacic, who are not expected back in time for the Brentford game.