Why shouldn’t he play? Pep Guardiola to push for cup final place for Marc Guehi

Pep Guardiola said Manchester City will ask the Football League for permission to play Marc Guehi in the Carabao Cup final after they breezed past Newcastle to set up a showdown with Arsenal.

The ineligible Guehi had to watch from the sidelines as City beat the Magpies 3-1 in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, completing a 5-1 aggregate win.

While fellow new boy Antoine Semenyo could play, Guehi was ineligible because he joined City after the first leg against Newcastle took place – and the rules mean the England international will be ineligible again come the final on March 22nd.

Guardiola acknowledged he did not expect City to be successful, but said they will make their case regardless.

“Why should he not play? Why not?” Guardiola said. “He’s our player, we pay his salary, we hired him…

“We want to ask. I said to the club we have to ask definitely. I don’t understand the reason why he cannot play in the final of the Carabao Cup in March when he has been here a long time…

“Of course we are going to ask because it’s pure logic. (But) to change the rule, no way. But we will try.”

Omar Marmoush was the star for City as he scored the opening two goals of the night before Tijjani Reijnders added a third, all inside 35 minutes.

Guardiola would have been concerned by the number of chances Newcastle created after the break, but with Anthony Elanga’s 62nd-minute strike the only one they converted, City were never overly troubled.

We'll meet Arsenal at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final