Kalvin Phillips will make a rare start for Manchester City in their Carabao Cup clash against Newcastle, with Pep Guardiola admitting he is concerned about sustaining more injuries.
Jack Grealish and Mateo Kovacic are available but City are without John Stones, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne, while Rodri is suspended for three games following his sending off against Nottingham Forest.
Wednesday’s trip to St James’ Park is the first of four successive away matches in less than two weeks, with City also visiting Wolves, Leipzig and Arsenal.
Guardiola said: “We used it, when we won a few times this competition, at the beginning of the season there are four, five, six players that maybe don’t play regularly and it’s perfect because it’s better than training sessions to play a game.
“But everyone was fit and we made a strong side. But now is an exceptional situation.
“We have a lot of players injured and a lot of players with a lot of minutes – with national team, with the team – and they have to rest because tomorrow is important but Wolves, Leipzig and Arsenal are much more important.
“The guys who didn’t play much are going to play and see what happens with the rest to try to make a good starting XI and travel there to win the game.
“There’s no doubt about that but I have to take a consideration that a lot of effort we have in this period, with many players, a lot of minutes, and we have to avoid for them to get injured again otherwise we’ll be in trouble.”
It will be only a fifth start for Phillips since his move from Leeds last summer, although he did play nearly all of the second half against Forest on Saturday following Rodri’s red card.
Guardiola said his side are only able to train for five to 10 minutes because of the need for recovery.
“We are used to it,” he said. “Previous seasons were the same. Yes you have maybe two or three more games for the (Club) World Cup but the rest is the same.
“The problem is a lack of rest, mentally especially. The seasons come with two or three weeks off, and this is nothing. In the future, with the Champions League longer and more teams, that is what it is. I complain a little bit on my side here and then after that forget it and go to the competitions.”
City won the Carabao Cup for four straight years from 2018 to 2021 but last season it proved their only disappointment, with Guardiola’s side suffering a shock defeat against Southampton in the quarter-finals.
Phil Foden has already talked about going for the quadruple as the only way to top last year, but Guardiola said with a smile: “Phil is so young, you understand with time.
“It’s nice to have that ambition but, as I said to the players, the ambition is the next game. Maybe in April, May, if you are still in all competitions you can start to think about it but, right now in the end of September, to think about the title is a big mistake.
“But if he believes that I will not be the guy to let him think the opposite.”
Teams all set for next year's inaugural Concacaf Women's Gold Cup
The November-December window of the Concacaf Women's Gold Cup qualifiers concluded recently, with the field for next year's inaugural Concacaf Women's Gold Cup completed.
During the window, eight teams qualified for the tournament, with Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica securing spots in the group stage, while Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Haiti, Guyana and Dominican Republic progressed to the Prelims.
Here is the full list of teams currently qualified for the 2024 Women's Gold Cup.
Group Stage
United States -The four-time FIFA Women’s World Cup winners clinched their place in the Gold Cup when they defeated Canada 1-0 in the final of the 2022 Concacaf Women's Championship.
Canada -The 2020 Olympic Gold Medal winners punched their Gold Cup ticket after defeating Jamaica 4-1 on aggregate in the Concacaf Olympic Playoff.
Mexico -Mexico qualified to for the group stage as winners of Group A of League A in the qualifiers.
Panama -Panama qualified to the group stage as winners of Group B of League A.
Costa Rica -Costa Rica qualified to the group stage as winners of Group C of League A.
Brazil -Brazil are one of the four invited teams to the 2024 W Gold Cup. Brazil were winners of the 2022 Conmebol Copa America Femenina.
Colombia -Colombia another invitee were runners-up of the 2022 Conmebol Copa America Femenina.
Argentina -Argentina another invitee was the third-place finisher at the 2022 Conmebol Copa America Femenina.
Paraguay -Paraguay, by virtue of their fourth-place finish at the 2022 Conmebol Copa America Femenina, were also invited to the Concacaf Gold Cup.
Prelims
Puerto Rico-Puerto Rico were runners-up in Group A of League A.
Guatemala -Guatemala bettered Jamaica to place second behind Panama in Group B of League A.
Haiti -Haiti placed second in Group C of League A.
Guyana -Guyana finished tops in Group A of League B.
El Salvador -El Salvador topped Group B of League B.
Dominican Republic -Dominican Republic topped Group C of League B.
Usain Bolt lights up the pitch against Brazilian legend Ronaldinho in CONMEBOL Legends Match
In a star-studded spectacle just before the much-anticipated draw for the 2024 Copa América on Thursday, sprinting legend Usain Bolt took the field alongside football icons such as Ronaldinho Gaúcho in the South American Football Confederation’s (CONMEBOL) Legends Match.
The electrifying game unfolded in the vibrant city of Miami, USA, at the Inter Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium.
Bolt, known for his blazing speed on the track, showcased his skills on the football pitch as he joined forces with luminaries like Colombian maestro Carlos Valderrama and Argentine sharpshooter Sergio ‘Kun’ Agüero. The Jamaican sprint legend documented the memorable experience, sharing snapshots with his teammates on Instagram, most of which were captured in the camaraderie-filled dressing room.
Yet, it was Bolt's interaction with former Barcelona maestro Ronaldinho that set social media ablaze. The charismatic duo, pitted against each other on opposing teams, engaged in a quick chat, leaving fans thrilled. True to his flair, Ronaldinho managed to find the back of the net, securing his team's only goal in a closely contested match that ended with Bolt's team clinching a 2-1 victory.
As the final whistle blew, capturing the essence of sportsmanship, Ronaldinho posed for photographs with Bolt, capping off a night of football camaraderie. The beloved Brazilian footballer even took a moment to sign Bolt's jersey before the sprint legend headed back to the dressing room.
Adding to the spectacle, Kasi Bennett, Bolt's longtime spouse, shared glimpses of the Legends Match, posting a short video capturing Bolt's presence on the pitch. The event not only showcased the fusion of speed and skill but also celebrated the spirit of sport that transcends disciplines.
Scott McTominay says Manchester United must maintain standards of Chelsea win
Scott McTominay says Manchester United are focused on consistency rather than their current place in the pecking order after Erik ten Hag’s under-fire side moved within three points of Manchester City.
This has been a challenging, and at times chastening, second season in the hotseat for the Dutchman, who won the Carabao Cup and finished third in the Premier League during a promising first campaign.
United also lost the FA Cup final to a City side that went on to match their neighbours’ historic 1999 treble triumph by lifting the Champions League trophy after beating Inter Milan.
Last season’s dominance and October’s 3-0 Old Trafford loss to Pep Guardiola’s men highlighted the gap in quality, yet the stumbling Red Devils are now within touching distance of their rivals.
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City fell to a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa as United bounced back from the lifeless loss to Newcastle by beating Chelsea 2-1 thanks to McTominay’s brace, moving them within three points of their fourth-placed neighbours.
When that was pointed out to the matchwinner, along with the bunched-up standings, McTominay said: “We barely pay attention to that in terms of we just concentrate on how we’re playing and if the style of football that we’re playing is how the manager wants.
“In games like tonight it was and against Newcastle it wasn’t, so we have to find that balance between us where we try and do that every single week.
“I felt like that was a game where we had to come out and show to the fans that we have full focus on this game, we want to play well and give a reaction.
“It has to be like that every week, though, which is something that (when) I was in the dressing room… there was players speaking about it.
“(It) can’t just be one game where we need to show a reaction. It has to come out and show that every week.”
McTominay said he was grateful to the United fans for “sticking with us throughout anything that goes on at this football club” after another difficult few days.
Reports over some player unhappiness with Ten Hag emerged after the 1-0 defeat to Newcastle, which the Scotland international knows saw them fall well short of what is required.
“We know the fans are extremely demanding and so are we as players, so that’s what we expect,” the six-goal midfielder told MUTV.
“Going back to the game against Newcastle, we know that was nowhere near good enough and that’s still stinging us.
“We can’t have them anomalies where we go somewhere and we don’t play as well as what we can, and maybe not show as much fight as what we could as well.
“But tonight is a building block and something that we can take step by step without getting too carried away.”
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United now refocus on Saturday’s home match against Bournemouth, with stuttering Chelsea heading to Everton the following day.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men were second best for large parts at Old Trafford but could have scored more than Cole Palmer’s intelligent equaliser.
Chelsea captain Reece James, who came off the bench at half-time, said: “We go out there wanting to win but it’s still a young squad and we are learning game by game.
“At the moment it’s quite tough, but we know we have the capabilities to win every game.
“We need to go back to the drawing board and review the game, and then prepare for Everton. We need to prepare right and start climbing the table.”
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