Man City using Youth Cup heartbreak as fuel for 2024 as first team disrupt preparations

19.12.2023 - 11:34 manchestereveningnews.co.uk

There can't be many under-18 sides preparing for this week's FA Youth Cup third round who have lost half their team to FIFA Club World Cup call-ups.

Manchester City begin their Youth Cup campaign this week, but will travel to Watford in the third round without a number of regulars after a disjointed week of preparations.

With the under-21 side playing in the Premier League 2 on Sunday, it was decided that nobody who was eligible would be playing in that game against Norwich and also the Youth Cup clash with Watford.

Usually, the close integration between the EDS and under-18s would make such an arrangement work out fine, but Pep Guardiola has thrown an unintentional spanner in the works by calling up six academy players to take to Saudi Arabia this week. ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola details Club World Cup danger for Man City and sends warning to squad ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola and Bernardo Silva respond to new Man City Club World Cup schedule MEN Sport revealed on Monday that City have taken six academy players to Saudi Arabia to supplement the first-team squad for their Club World Cup campaign this week, with four of those youngsters eligible to play in the Youth Cup.

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