Man City rotates squad, Newcastle seeks redemption in the League Cup

17/12/2025 10:57:00 soccer

The League Cup will be the venue where Man City rotates their squad to prepare for the upcoming busy schedule. Conversely, Newcastle needs a strong response after their humiliating loss to Sunderland in the Northeast derby last weekend.

The win against Crystal Palace last weekend helped Man City keep a 2-point lead behind top-ranked Arsenal. Guardiola’s squad’s mission is to wait for their rivals to slip up and regain first place, a routine they have followed in their last two championship seasons. Their 2-1 victory over Real Madrid midweek has put Manchester City well-positioned to secure a direct spot in the Round of 16.

These are the competitions where Man City must focus their energy. So what about the League Cup match against Brentford? Guardiola cannot disregard this tournament, yet he has reasons not to deploy his strongest lineup. Star players like Donnarumma, Foden, Cherki, and Haaland require rest to ensure peak condition for the final two fixtures of the year against Nottingham Forest and Sunderland. This creates chances for substitutes like Oscar Bobb and Savinho to showcase their abilities, while James Trafford needs to work harder in goal to avoid falling further behind Donnarumma in the goalkeeper competition. Guardiola is facing some personnel difficulties as Alt-Nouri and Marmoush have left Etihad to participate in AFCON with Algeria and Egypt respectively. Coupled with injuries to Jeremy Doku, John Stones, Rodri, and Mateo Kovacic, Guardiola has good reasons to conserve his key players in a competition that is not a top priority like the League Cup. Whatever the lineup, Man City can still feel confident welcoming Brentford, having remained unbeaten in their last five meetings, including a 1-0 Premier League win in October.

It is highly likely that Man City will rest key players like Haaland in the League Cup.

Unlike Man City, Newcastle is eager for a win following their defeat to Sunderland last weekend. That loss left Eddie Howe’s team stuck in 12th place, 6 points behind the top 4. Matters worsened for the 48-year-old coach when defender Dan Burn suffered a lung issue in the Sunderland match and may be sidelined for up to 10 games. This exacerbates Newcastle’s defensive crisis, with Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier, Jamaal Lascelles, and Emil Krafth all sidelined by injury. Currently, Newcastle only has four fit defenders—Livramento, Schar, Thiaw, and Hall—as the congested Christmas and New Year schedule approaches. However, the reigning League Cup champions’ pride will not allow Howe’s men to give up easily against a confident Fulham, fresh off a 3-2 win over Burnley last weekend. Beating Fulham is the best way for Howe’s squad to heal the wounds from the Northeast derby loss and build momentum for the tough match against Chelsea later this weekend.

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