'This is when we find out about them' - What Man City coaches will tell players before FA Youth Cup semi-final vs Arsenal

Manchester City coaches face an endless battle between providing their young players with tough-enough tests to aid their development and ensuring they win enough games to showcase their talents.

On the one hand, Tuesday night's FA Youth Cup semi-final at Arsenal is a perfect opportunity to see what the academy have learned in recent pressure games. On the other, it's clear that City have no intention of simply turning up to the Emirates content with just reaching the last four. It's time for the next generation of City players to step up.

"These are the moments we really find out about them," says under-18s head coach Ben Wilkinson. "Over the course of a long season these are the moments - on Tuesday or the next few weeks with a lot of big games - that we can really see how they perform under pressure."

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Speaking to MEN Sport ahead of the prestigious semi-final, Wilkinson outlined just how important the experience of playing a knock-out semi-final at the Emirates can be in the careers of his young players.

"We want to try as hard as we can to develop these players to win, but also they need to have experience of every situation possible," he explained.

"Our primary objective is to develop. That comes before winning. Obviously as human beings and individuals number one we all want to win. Working at this club, the culture has been set for the last ten years of winning and what that brings. I don't think anyone could doubt that winning has helped develop the players.

"It comes hand in hand, if we can continue to win and develop that winning mentality, it will develop the players when it comes to the next