Pep Guardiola says Manchester City "don't have a chance" of beating rivals Manchester United at the weekend if they repeat the performance that saw them eliminated from the EFL Cup.

City started with the likes of Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson among their substitutes for Wednesday's quarter-final tie at Southampton and were made to pay in a 2-0 defeat.

Sekou Mara put the Saints ahead when beating Kyle Walker to a cross, before Moussa Djenepo profited from Stefan Ortega's poor positioning to add a second before half-time.

De Bruyne was introduced as part of a triple substitution at the interval, while Haaland followed soon after, but City failed to register a shot on target for the first time this term.

Next up for City is a trip to in-form United in the league on Saturday, and Guardiola accepts a big improvement is needed from his side at Old Trafford.

"It's a different competition, but of course if we perform in this way we don't have a chance," he said in his post-match press conference. "I know the momentum they have. 

"For many years they're looking forward to being in this position. We know exactly what to do to play better and we're going to try to do it."

Asked about his decision to leave out Haaland and De Bruyne for a second game running, Guardiola said: "Who knows if with Erling and Kevin it would have been different? 

"But when you play for four competitions it's important to use every player in the squad."

City suffered defeat inside 90 minutes of an EFL Cup tie for just the third time in 30 matches under Guardiola, who has won the competition four times in seven seasons.

The loss – City's fourth in 28 games this campaign – came just three days on from a superb performance in seeing off Chelsea 4-0 in third round of the FA Cup.

And Guardiola accepts there could be no complaints with his side's two-goal reverse at St Mary's Stadium.

"It was a bad night. I know them quite well. We didn't get close to what we are," he said. "Three days after facing Chelsea... I've nothing to say. 

"They were better, we congratulate them and accept it. We have to be prepared every single game when you play for Manchester City. Today we were not."

City defeated United 6-3 when the sides last met in October and are seeking a Premier League double over the Red Devils in a single season for the sixth time ever.

Ilkay Gundogan, who played the full 90 minutes against Southampton, is hoping the cup setback can spark some life into City heading into the derby.

"There's no room for any mistakes [against United], or for any poor performances like today," he told the club's official website.

"Hopefully, if there is something good we can take out of this game today, it was something like a wake-up call at the right time.

"Even though it is sad and disappointing to be out of this cup, hopefully, at the end, in a few weeks we can at least look back and take something good out of this game."

Steve Cooper admitted Dean Henderson being ineligible for Nottingham Forest's EFL Cup semi-final tie against Manchester United "put a dampener" on Wednesday's quarter-final win against Wolves.

Henderson was the hero in a tense penalty shoot-out at the City Ground after Raul Jimenez cancelled out Willy Boly's opener in a 1-1 draw, denying Ruben Neves and Joe Hodge as Forest triumphed 4-3.

However, the on-loan goalkeeper will be unable to feature in the final four after Forest were drawn to face his parent club United, leaving Cooper frustrated.

Asked about Henderson's situation in his post-match press conference, Cooper said: "It is unfortunate. That has put a bit of a dampener on it."

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Cooper hailed the goalkeeper's performance, saying: "We felt ready [for the penalty shoot-out], we did plan and prepare for it with Dean and the outfield guys, but even with that, it was still a bit of the luck of the gods. 

"Dean was fantastic in the 90 minutes in keeping the ball out of the net, and he carried that over to the shoot-out."

Cooper was not overly enthusiastic about Forest's performance, however, adding: "I'm chuffed for the supporters and players. 

"The objective of the tie was to get through. I can't say I loved our performance, I shouldn't be too negative and I won't be, but we have to play a lot better than we did for large spells of the game."

Meanwhile, Wolves counterpart Julen Lopetegui was frustrated by Graham Scott's failure to award a penalty when Matheus Nunes appeared to be fouled by Emmanuel Dennis late on, with no VAR in place to overturn the decision.

"It was very clear. Matheus went to control the ball and he didn't allow him to do it. It is very clear, we have seen the image," he said.

"Maybe I will have to review my knowledge of the rules. Maybe they are different. We have to accept it. The referee is the one who has the power to say yes or no. They don't have VAR today, it was a pity for us."

Pep Guardiola admits Manchester City were deservedly beaten by Southampton as they were "not prepared" for Wednesday's EFL Cup quarter-final tie.

Below-strength City were defeated 2-0 by the Premier League's bottom side at St Mary's Stadium through goals from Sekou Mara and Moussa Djenepo.

City made five changes for the contest, which followed three days on from an FA Cup third-round win against Chelsea and precedes Saturday's derby against Manchester United.

The visitors failed to register a single shot on target for the first time in a game this season, while their overall tally of seven shots is also a new low for the campaign.

After City suffered defeat inside 90 minutes of an EFL Cup tie for just the third time in 30 matches under Guardiola, the Catalan coach accepted his side were second best.

"The better team won," he told BBC Sport. "We didn't play good. We didn't play well in the start. There are many games you can start not good but recover and we didn't do it.

"When you are not prepared to play this game, you arrive one inch late and don't score a goal. When you are prepared, you score the goal.

"Tonight was a bad night, the opponent was better so we have to congratulate them. To win games you have to deserve it and tonight we didn't deserve it."

Kevin De Bruyne was brought on at half-time as part of a triple substitution, while Erling Haaland entered the fray soon after, but neither could make an impact for City.

Defeat for City was just their fourth in 28 matches this season, and their first since returning to action following the World Cup break.

While it was a hugely disappointing outing for City, Southampton celebrated back-to-back wins for the first time under Nathan Jones, who had been under pressure following a poor start to his tenure.

Following Southampton's second win in 16 meetings with City under Guardiola, Jones wants his players to push on in their battle to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

"We want to be hard to beat. This has to be our benchmark, the level we attain to. We had a lot of good situations today. It's a step in the right direction," he told Sky Sports.

"I'm really proud of the players, of myself and the coaches. We've gone through a lot recently, people questioning a lot of things. 

"That goes a little way to justifying why we're here and what team we're trying to create. I'm really proud of the club tonight and how we've come through a tough time."

Manchester United will face Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup semi-finals, while Newcastle United meet Southampton.

Erik ten Hag's side beat third-tier Charlton Athletic 3-0 in the last eight and will travel to the City Ground for the first of the two-legged semi-final clash, as United search for a first trophy since 2017.

Forest have struggled in the Premier League as they battle to avoid the drop but edged past rivals Wolves on penalties after a 1-1 draw on Wednesday, moving just two games away from the Wembley Stadium showpiece.

Newcastle were dominant in a 2-0 win over Leicester City to reach the competition's semi-finals for the first time since 1976 and will visit the Premier League's bottom side Southampton for the first leg.

Nathan Jones' side registered an unlikely 2-0 quarter-final win over Manchester City, becoming just the third side to defeat Pep Guardiola's City in the EFL Cup, after West Ham and Manchester United (twice).

The first leg of the last-four clashes will be played on the week commencing January 23, with the second leg to follow the week after.

Pep Guardiola's decision to name an understrength starting line-up backfired as Manchester City were beaten 2-0 by Southampton in Wednesday's EFL Cup quarter-final tie.

Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Ederson were among City's substitutes at St Mary's with Saturday's league game against Manchester United in mind.

That proved costly as Sekou Mara and Moussa Djenepo – profiting from some poor Stefan Ortega positioning – had the Premier League's bottom side two goals up at half-time.

The arrivals of De Bruyne and Erling Haaland gave City slightly more of an attacking edge, but they could not find a route back into the game as they suffered a shock exit.

Ortega did well to turn aside Duje Caleta-Car's low effort, but there was no stopping Mara's first-time shot after the forward got in front of Kyle Walker to convert Lyanco's cross.

Southampton had a second five minutes later when Djenepo cut inside, spotted Ortega well off his line and executed his lobbed finish from 30 yards to perfection.

Guardiola took action at the break by making a triple substitution, with Haaland also brought on 10 minutes later, but City's response did not arrive on the south coast.

The visitors failed to register a single shot on target as they lost for the fourth time in 28 matches this season, and the first time since the World Cup break.

Erik ten Hag set his sights on ending Manchester United's six-year trophy drought after Marcus Rashford's double helped them past Charlton Athletic in Tuesday's EFL Cup quarter-final.

Having replaced Antony – who had given United the lead with a brilliant curling effort – on the hour mark at Old Trafford, Rashford scored twice in the dying moments to seal a 3-0 win over the League One side.

Rashford's brace ensured safe passage to the final four for United, who have not won a major trophy since Jose Mourinho delivered an EFL Cup and Europa League double in 2017. 

Ten Hag's hopes of ending that wait have been boosted by back-to-back home wins in the two domestic cups, and the Dutchman is eager for United to go further.

"The last four is nothing. It's only about winning," Ten Hag told Sky Sports. "But you have to go from game to game. We'll see what comes out of the draw, then we'll prepare well."

United missed several chances to wrap up victory before Rashford took centre-stage, leaving Ten Hag somewhat frustrated by their wastefulness.

"I'm quite happy. We started the game very well with good energy and good focus, and pinned them in their half," he said.

"We created chances, big opportunities, and then we made a brilliant goal. It's a team goal, but the finish from Antony was great.

"They put on another striker but I think we didn't allow them [chances]. Before, we had the chances. We should have finished this game early on."

United have won each of their six matches since the World Cup, with Rashford netting in every game (a total of seven goals).

Rashford's tally of 20 goal contributions this campaign (15 goals, five assists) is now double that of his closest team-mate (Christian Eriksen with 10), leading United captain Harry Maguire to lavish praise on the forward.  

"I probably haven't seen him in better goalscoring form, but I know what he's capable of. I've seen him here for four years now, and for England before that," Maguire told MUTV.

"I can't speak highly enough of his talent, and it's really good to see him playing with a smile on his face. 

"He's a really important player for us and if we're going to do well this season, we need him firing. I'm really pleased he's doing that for the side and for himself."

Marcus Rashford maintained his record of scoring in every game since the World Cup with a late double as Manchester United beat Charlton Athletic 3-0 to reach the EFL Cup semi-finals.

Substitute Rashford produced two fine finishes to round off United's victory, after Antony's stunning strike broke League One side Charlton's resistance in the first half at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Charlton – the only non-Premier League team in the last eight – produced a stubborn performance to stay in the contest until the closing stages, but lacked the quality to trouble their illustrious opponents.

Erik ten Hag's men are now potentially three games from ending a six-year trophy drought after reaching their third EFL Cup semi-final in four seasons.

Alejandro Garnacho was heavily involved as a much-changed United team started well, teeing up Diogo Dalot for a wild left-footed strike before going close from long range.

It was Antony who opened the scoring 21 minutes in, curling a sublime left-footed strike beyond a diving Ashley Maynard-Brewer and into the top-left corner.

Fred almost doubled United's lead in spectacular fashion when his 25-yard free-kick rattled the inside of the post, ensuring Charlton were just one goal down at the break.

Anthony Elanga was denied by the offside flag when he converted from close range after the restart, before Maynard-Brewer kept Charlton in the game with a fine stop from Garnacho's bending right-footed attempt.

United finally made the victory safe as the game entered stoppage time, the in-form Rashford beating Maynard-Brewer with a chipped finish after taking Facundo Pellistri's pass in his stride. 

There was still time for the England forward to find the back of the net again, rounding the goalkeeper before hammering a left-footed finish high into the net.

Newcastle United reached the EFL Cup semi-finals for just the second time after Dan Burn and Joelinton scored in a 2-0 victory over Leicester City on Tuesday.

Eddie Howe's side were stunned by Sheffield Wednesday in Saturday's FA Cup loss but responded with a dominant showing to reach the EFL Cup last four for the first time since 1976.

Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward thwarted Newcastle for large parts in a one-sided contest at St. James' Park before Burn and Joelinton netted twice in the space of 12 second-half minutes.

Newcastle will await Wednesday's semi-final draw as they seek long-awaited silverware, while they remain in the hunt for an unlikely top-four finish in the Premier League amid a remarkable season.

Sean Longstaff should have fired Newcastle into a first-minute lead but inexplicably blasted Joe Willock's cross wide, before Bruno Guimaraes arrowed narrowly off target.

Ward showed rapid reflexes to push away Longstaff's drive as Howe's hosts continued in the ascendancy but without reward before the interval.

A fingertip stop by Ward pushed Joelinton's low attempt onto the left post just after the interval, while Burn headed a glorious chance over before the Leicester goalkeeper denied a stinging Longstaff effort.

Burn soon made amends by gliding inside and slotting a right-footed finish into the bottom-right corner to score his first goal for his boyhood club.

Joelinton added a second after racing onto Miguel Almiron's throughball and sliding beyond Ward, before Jamie Vardy missed two late opportunities in an otherwise toothless Leicester showing.

What does it mean? High-flying Magpies end quarter-final hoodoo

Despite falling to League One's Wednesday in the FA Cup, Newcastle continue to enjoy an incredible season, sitting third in the Premier League and still in with a chance of EFL Cup glory.

The Magpies had lost their last seven quarter-final ties in this competition since their run to the final in the 1975-76 campaign but ended that streak to earn further plaudits for the impressive Howe.

Manchester United defeated Charlton Athletic to reach the last four, while Manchester City – who visit Southampton on Wednesday – remain in the competition but Newcastle will fancy their chances after another memorable showing at home.

Terrific Trippier

As has been the case for much of the season, Kieran Trippier was central to the majority of Newcastle's attacking play as the right-back delivered another creative masterclass.

Linking up with Almiron on the right flank, Trippier created a game-leading five chances and was a constant nuisance for Leicester left-back Luke Thomas.

Ward efforts in vain

Leicester had not conceded in the EFL Cup until Burn's strike, with Brendan Rodgers' side defeating Stockport County, Newport County and MK Dons without their net being breached.

In truth, the Foxes were fortunate to be in the contest for so long at Newcastle, given the excellent Ward – who has come under scrutiny for some Premier League performances this term – made seven saves.

What's next?

Newcastle return to Premier League action at home to Fulham on Sunday, while Leicester visit rivals Nottingham Forest the day before.

Manchester United prospect Kobbie Mainoo was handed his first senior start for the Red Devils as Erik ten Hag's side looked to reach the EFL Cup semi-finals.

Mainoo, a 17-year-old midfielder, appears to be the next in line on a long list of illustrious United academy products after being named in Ten Hag's starting XI for Tuesday's home clash with League One side Charlton Athletic.

The England youth international, who signed his first professional contract in May, played an integral role in last season's FA Youth Cup triumph and featured prominently for United during the World Cup break, scoring in a 4-2 friendly defeat to Cadiz.

A deep-lying playmaker by trade, Mainoo slotted in alongside midfield pair Scott McTominay and Fred, while he will hope to emulate the progress of Alejandro Garnacho, whose stock at United continues to grow.

Fellow teenager Garnacho was also named in Ten Hag's line-up as the United manager made eight changes from Friday's FA Cup third-round victory over Everton.

The fit-again Diogo Dalot kept his place, as did Tyrell Malacia and Antony, while Harry Maguire and World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez were among those to come in.

Veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton replaced David de Gea to make his full debut for the club in the quarter-final clash at Old Trafford.

Pep Guardiola is confident Kalvin Phillips can find his stride after a slow start to his career at Manchester City.

In December, Guardiola said the England international returned from the World Cup "overweight" and "not in the right condition to train", with Phillips yet to find his feet at Etihad Stadium following a move from Leeds United.

Six appearances this season have all come off the bench, including 32 minutes in Sunday's FA Cup victory over Chelsea – only the second time he has played more than 15 minutes for the club.

It has been reported Phillips will make his long-awaited first start for the club against Southampton and, while not confirming whether that is true, Guardiola expects him to reach City's requisite standard. 

"He's always ready. He needed a little bit of time but he's ready," Guardiola told reporters on Tuesday.

"We have to see [if he will start] but he's intelligent and normally a holding midfielder. He has an incredible work ethic, was educated at Leeds under Marcelo [Bielsa].

"He's committed in every game, there are patterns and movements that need time and games though. He arrived and had injuries, which meant he couldn't be there, but step by step he will get there."

Guardiola also feels facing Southampton, under Nathan Jones, leaves his side having to adjust to the new approach their opponents will adopt.

"It's an away game, so obviously it would have been better at home. They're in a difficult position, they have a new manager and are still getting used to it," he added.

"We knew Ralph [Hasenhuttl's] style of play, and now they have a changed style and different patterns, so we will have to adapt to that. We have to do our best to reach the semi-final."

Antony thanked Manchester United for their support an undisclosed "shock" ahead of his goalscoring appearance against Everton on Friday.

The Brazil international scored on his return to action in the FA Cup tie at Old Trafford, as Erik ten Hag's side claimed a 3-1 win.

It marked a return for the winger after his absence for Tuesday's Premier League victory over Bournemouth, with his manager only stating it was down to injury.

But Antony has now suggested he missed the 3-0 win over Bournemouth through another issue, though he refused to elaborate on its exact nature.

"First of all, it's a feeling of joy," he told TNT Sports. "I'm happy to score again, especially at home.

"I've set some goals for myself this season, and it's good to score as soon as I've started to think of personal goals.

"I also feel relieved, as in the last few days, I had a shock. I prefer not to comment on what happened. It was a personal matter, [and] really hard.

"[But I am] grateful to the club, to the players [and] to the manager that stayed by my side. It is in the past now. I'm happy to score and I hope to keep going."

Antony has scored four goals in 15 games across all competitions for the club so far this season, though a knock in late October sidelined his involvement ahead of the World Cup.

With progression to the fourth round secured, United next play in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup against Charlton Athletic, before they return to Premier League action for the Manchester derby.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is proud of his team's achievements in 2022, including reaching a Champions League final he acknowledged was not one to remember.

The Reds finished second behind Manchester City in the Premier League last season, with the title race coming down to the final day.

Liverpool also won both domestic cup competitions, beating Chelsea on penalties on each occasion at Wembley Stadium.

However, their season ended in disappointment when their league heartbreak was followed by a 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid in Paris.

That match was marred by an incident outside the Stade de France, where Liverpool fans were accused of using fake tickets to access the ground and subsequently caused a bottleneck that resulted in riot police firing tear gas at spectators attempting to gain entry.

Liverpool's fans have since been cleared of any wrongdoing, and Klopp wanted to signal out the day after the Champions League final, when the Reds paraded the FA Cup and EFL Cup through the city, as the highlight of the year.

"From a sports point of view, 2022 was a pretty successful year I would say. It started with the EFL Cup final. The FA Cup final was special, I enjoyed it so much," he said in a video posted to Liverpool's website.

"Then the league was pretty spectacular. We were close again, I know that's not that much appreciated, I get that, when you come close.

"But from a coach's point of view I am pretty proud of that.

"The Champions League final, [Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut] Courtois had a pretty good day. We did quite well but it didn't feel [right] that night, it didn't feel for different reasons which we didn't know exactly directly after the game when we were already down.

"But when we heard the stories from our families what happened around the stadium, it was a clear it was a special night for the wrong reasons. So it will not be a Champions League final we will remember for the rest of our lives.

"What we will remember for the rest of our lives was the day after the Champions League final. You give your absolutely everything and you get a lot but not everything.

"If that's not worth a celebration, it would be the worst sign you can give to the outside world.

"That's why we celebrated two cup competitions, two cup wins, two big, big campaigns and that we are together and we are alive and we love each other. 

“This club is so special and if anybody didn't know it before, this day was proof of that. It was outstanding, I have no words for it. Now when I am speaking about it I get goosebumps."

Liverpool restart their season with a trip to Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

Manchester United's players must prove they deserve silverware as they continue to battle on multiple fronts under Erik ten Hag, according to midfielder Christian Eriksen.

The Red Devils defeated Burnley 2-0 on their return to action on Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup, where third-tier Charlton Athletic await.

Ten Hag's side are also still in the Europa League, albeit with Barcelona up next in the knockout round play-offs, while their FA Cup campaign begins against Everton next month.

Having not won a trophy since their Europa League success in the 2016-17 campaign, Eriksen accepts United are not in a position to prioritise certain competitions.

"It's been a few years since winning a trophy the last time," Eriksen, who arrived at United as a free agent in July, told talkSPORT. 

"From where the club were to where we are now, the aim is to focus on every competition and see where we are in the end.

"It hasn't specifically been said that we have to win this or win that – all of the players just want to win as much as possible.

"But to get there we first need to prove that we deserve to be there. It's about every tournament. Like you saw against Burnley, even the [EFL Cup] is important for us."

Eriksen played the full 90 minutes against Burnley and opened the scoring at Old Trafford, before Marcus Rashford doubled United's lead in the second period.

That was United's first match in six weeks due to the World Cup break, which saw an early exit for Eriksen and his below-par Denmark side at Qatar 2022.

Fifth-placed United now face Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Bournemouth in the space of a week as the Premier League resumes, and Eriksen is glad to be back playing.

"I think it's nice to be back," he said. "It was important to get through to the next round in the cup and get the feeling of everyone being back and getting the win."

Kalvin Phillips returned from World Cup duty with England "overweight" and not ready to feature against Liverpool, according to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

The midfielder has endured a frustrating season hampered by injury issues after moving to the Etihad Stadium from boyhood club Leeds United in the last transfer window.

Phillips was still selected by Gareth Southgate for Qatar 2022 but played just 40 minutes across the tournament before England suffered quarter-final heartbreak against France.

The 27-year-old, who has been restricted to just one substitute appearance in the Premier League for City, missed the EFL Cup fourth-round win over Liverpool on Thursday.

While England team-mates Jack Grealish, John Stones and Phil Foden all featured in the first game after the World Cup, Guardiola suggested Phillips' fitness was far below the standards expected.

"He's not injured. He arrived overweight. I don't know [why]," Guardiola said when asked about Phillips' omission.

"He didn't arrive in the condition to do training sessions and to play."

Guardiola is not giving up on Phillips yet, though, adding: "When he will be ready, he will play, because we need him, we need him a lot."

As for Guardiola's disappointment with him, he said: "It's a private conversation with Kalvin."

Guardiola confirmed Ruben Dias joined Phillips on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury in Portugal's World Cup quarter-final defeat to Morocco.

City visit Phillips' former side Leeds on Wednesday as Guardiola's men aim to cut Arsenal's five-point lead at the top of the table.

Kevin De Bruyne showed he is "unstoppable" when playing with "this fire inside" in Manchester City's 3-2 EFL Cup win over Liverpool, Pep Guardiola said.

De Bruyne was well below his brilliant best as Belgium were eliminated from the World Cup in the group stage earlier this month.

But his first match back in City colours on Thursday provided a reminder of the midfielder's remarkable talents.

De Bruyne supplied assists for Erling Haaland and Nathan Ake in a gripping cup tie, creating a game-high five chances in all as he ran the show at the Etihad Stadium.

As well as excelling with the ball, De Bruyne led the City press out of possession, winning four turnovers in the final third. Rico Lewis (two) was the only other player on the pitch to manage more than one.

"Kevin, when he plays with this fire inside of him, he finds himself this fire... what a player," manager Guardiola told Sky Sports.

"How many years is Kevin here? Seven, eight years? I think so. There's so many things. He's an absolute legend.

"Always I push him to find this fire. In important games, when he has this, he's unstoppable."

Guardiola reserved additional praise for Lewis, the 18-year-old right-back who took 89 touches and won five duels against the Reds – trailing only Rodri among City players in both metrics.

"In a long, long time, I didn't see a performance like Rico Lewis," Guardiola said of a teenager who debuted in August. 

"He's 18 years old, playing against Liverpool with big stars up front, and the way he played with the ball and without the ball...

"We are lucky, incredibly lucky to have this player for the next decade. Hopefully the club can keep him, because he was exceptional. The game he played was exceptional."