This week’s Q&A takes a look at the World Cup and any impact it could have on Manchester City’s summer transfer business

06:00, 02 Apr 2026

Manchester City are champions again. A 2-0 win over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final did a lot to make up for what had been a disappointing March and Pep Guardiola’s side will now look to kick on in the final weeks of the season.

They are back in action against Liverpool this weekend in an FA Cup quarter-final and then have to try and hunt down Arsenal in the Premier League title race. With so much going on at the club, we’ll be hosting weekly Q&A sessions with our chief City writer Simon Bajkowski.

The day of the week it comes out on may change depending on what City’s schedule looks like, but essentially this is your chance to get an answer on anything you want – simply pop your question here at any time of the week and Simon will pick them all up and wrap everything up in one place.

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This week we are looking at the summer transfer window as well as the state of play ahead of the World Cup and the impact that could have on City. After three transfer windows that have transformed the squad, it looks like there will be more change ahead.

Where do you think Eliot Anderson will ends up? Mark Grayson

I heard Elliot Anderson is on the midfield recruitment list, but I’m wondering if Sandro Tonali is also on the transfer target list and if the possibility of signing both of them is practically zero. Considering the potential departures of Kovacic and Bernardo Silva, I’m curious if signing these two would be feasible, and if the likelihood of their arrival would increase should Rodri also leave the team. yjj

Let’s start with the big one, then. As things stand, I think Elliot Anderson will end up at City this summer. They are in the best position to get him, can show him a clear path for getting regular minutes in a team that will be challenging for everything and likely winning at least something.

That doesn’t mean that things can’t change – this time last year City were in pole position to sign Morgan Gibbs-White – and of course there are other clubs interested. The fact that one of those is United means there will be plenty of talk around any transfer, especially if United get into the Champions League.

Sandro Tonali has been talked up for a move for months and the sounds coming out of Newcastle are not promising in terms of Eddie Howe being able to hang on to his best players. United look to have more chance of getting Tonali, although the Italian did get a lot of attention from Pep Guardiola after at least one of the games City played against them this season.

City are planning for next season with Rodri, so while they would have to change those plans if they were to sell him I’d be very surprised to see them go for both Anderson and Tonali. I think it will be one, and I think it will be Anderson.

What’s happened to Phil Foden? Alex

A very good question, Alex, and not one that anyone has the answer to yet. He was so good between September and December, back toward the levels of the 2023/24 campaign when he was the best player in the entire league, and yet it disappeared quickly and dramatically.

I wouldn’t write anything into the England performances, because while it was painful to see him in the No.9 role against Japan that was more because of the number of times he put himself in an excellent position and either Cole Palmer or Morgan Rogers failed to pass him the ball.

I have a feeling he may sneak into the England squad because from what I know Thomas Tuchel does rate him, but I’m not sure if a break would be better for him. He’s tried to play his way back into form for so long now but something is still missing and it is hard to remember when his last good game was.

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Also interesting was the fact that he stopped to speak to journalists after the Carabao Cup final win where he had made a brief appearance as a substitute. Not many players tend to stop, and nobody would have batted an eyelid if Foden hadn’t, but he had this to say.

“Football sometimes is not straightforward. There are ups and downs and sometimes you can’t be the best version of yourself and that’s the way it is. It’s just about how you pick yourself back up. I’m still keeping my head down, trying to train as well as I can every day and hopefully I come back after the internationals a lot sharper and hopefully I can get more minutes and be back to where I was at the start of the season.”

That is what City hope, but if it doesn’t happen then a complete rest is surely better than a summer in the heat carrying Harry Kane’s bags.

Hi Simon, last summer’s transfer window began in mid-June. Will there be any changes to the schedule this summer because of the World Cup? Also, do you expect City to complete any outgoing or incoming deals before the World Cup begins? For example, players unlikely to feature at the World Cup such as Rico Lewis, Jack Grealish, and some academy players, as well as City’s top target, Elliot Anderson. TJ.Lee

Hi TJ, the remit from City is always that they want to do business quickly. Last summer was more of a necessity though because they wanted to make a statement before the Club World Cup and treat that as the start of the new campaign rather than the end of an old, disappointing one.

The World Cup makes it difficult in the sense that some players simply won’t want to think about transfers before or during the tournament because all of their focus will be on that – and their international managers certainly won’t want them to be. However, there is still about a month between the end of the tournament and the start of the Premier League so I think July and August will be much busier for deals.

In terms of Anderson, if City are able to win the race for him then they will try to strike whatever the best deal is for him at the World Cup and those discussions will be had with Forest and with his representatives. Whatever allows Anderson to give the most focus on England and have the least distractions will win out, but City and every other interested party will want as much of the deal done before the World Cup as can be.

Who is your opinion will become the man city first captain once Bernardo leaves and how badly it will all end if it’s Dias? Harry

I’m not sure if I’m addressing Harry or not, given it isn’t the first question we’ve had in moaning about the idea of Ruben Dias being captain. Bernardo Silva will likely leave at the end of this season and when he does go Ruben Dias will be front and centre in the list of candidates to replace him. Rodri will be a strong candidate as well but Dias has earned it and I don’t really see why people have a problem with him.

His performances have not all been as amazing as he can be this season, but then Guardiola has taken some accountability for that and said that he has used him more often than he should. And why has he done that? Because of the leadership that Dias brings to the team, meaning Guardiola thinks it is worth the risk on the player’s fitness for the extra that he adds to the team.

“I would have loved to put Khusa in more games and not Ruben, but if Rodri is not there I want characters on the pitch and Ruben is an incredible leader,” he said in January. “Having Nico there and the moment we have new players, Ruben gave us stability.”

Manchester City have regenerated their squad in the past 18 months and decisions now loom on four senior players

Manchester City’s squad evolution gathered pace last weekend as the Blues won their first trophy since the 2024 Premier League title when they beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.

While the silverware absence was not even two years, the Wembley win reaffirmed the trajectory this squad is on after a trophyless 2024-25 campaign.

City have a plethora of emerging talent alongside a core of experience and while there remain questions over Pep Guardiola’s future beyond the summer, the playing squad is in good shape.

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This summer will likely see the departure of two long-serving City players in John Stones and Bernardo Silva when their contracts expire. Skipper Bernardo said earlier in the campaign that he already knew what the future holds and there is little to suggest he will pen fresh terms at the Etihad even though Guardiola would happily hand a new deal to a player he values so highly.

For Stones, it’s injuries that look set to preclude a new City contract. The defender has suffered with fitness issues this term and pulled out of the England squad this week with a groin problem. Guardiola has spoken of how a decision on Stones would need to take into account what he has shown over the last two years and sadly for the centre-back, injury has prevented him from showing too much.

The departures of Stones and Silva would see a huge amount of experience leaving the building but City are in a position to cope with both exits. A summer transfer move for a new midfielder, with Elliott Anderson at Nottingham Forest of interest, would certainly help offset the departure of Silva, while Abdukodir Khusanov, Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias mitigate the loss of Stones.

It’s what might happen with two more City stalwarts that will carry plenty of intrigue over the coming months and potentially impact the Blues’ summer transfer plans.

Rodri and Phil Foden both see their contracts expire in 2027 and just now it’s difficult to confidently predict both will be here past that date.

Rodri spoke of his admiration for La Liga and Real Madrid this week, and while he then suggested people listen to the entire interview before jumping to conclusions, it’s difficult to ignore the prospect of Real signing the midfielder.

The 29-year-old is beginning to show his best again having suffered a serious knee injury and a couple of setbacks. Guardiola doesn’t feel his star man will be back to full throttle until this summer’s World Cup but City and Rodri will need to make a decision on whether a new deal is offered sooner rather than later.

City will not stand in any player’s way if they do want to depart, and would potentially rather obtain a fee for Rodri this summer rather than risk losing him on a free transfer in 18 months.

The same would be true of Foden, although his future is more likely to be at City than not. The 25-year-old has struggled for form in recent months but remains a player capable of being among the best in the country and the hope at the Etihad is that he can return to the peak of his powers.

A probable World Cup and the uncertainty surrounding Guardiola’s future will play a part in any contract talks over the next few months but the feeling is club and player will come to an agreement for the boyhood Blue to extend his Etihad contract.

City’s summer transfer business will offer a further indication as to what the future holds as we wait for answers.

Manchester City secured their first silverware of the season after beating Arsenal 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday

Manchester City have entered the final international break of the season with fresh optimism after beating Arsenal 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. The victory and the manner of it has led many to back City to catch the Gunners in what would be a superb turnaround.

Regardless of whether or not they manage it, winning the League Cup is incredibly important for this group of players as they aim to replicate the dominance of the previous Pep Guardiola generation. With a new sense of confidence and belief, City will enjoy the next few weeks.

With the season heading towards an exciting crescendo, MEN Sport has taken a look at the six winners and losers from this campaign so far.

Winners

Nico O’Reilly

This is not merely recency bias, O’Reilly has enjoyed a brilliant year for the Blues. Guardiola hailed him as the ‘signing of the season’ after the Carabao Cup final and you can see where he was coming from.

O’Reilly is the latest midfielder who has had to adapt to playing left-back but he has done so, excellently. The 21-year-old provided cover when needed but has shown he is more than just a stand-in for City.

In midfield, he has performed well despite bigger names arriving in the summer. His brace at Wembley was just rewards for an impressive campaign.

Bernardo Silva

If this is to be his final chapter, Bernardo is looking to go out on a high. The original utility player for Guardiola has led by example this season and fully deserved to lift that trophy on Sunday.

Should he leave at the end of the campaign, expect Guardiola to shed a tear like he has when the likes of Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne left. The midfielder should be held in the same high regard as those club legends.

Winning silverware this season also means Bernardo’s time at City does not end on a sour note, regardless of what happens between now and May.

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Erling Haaland’s patchy form in recent weeks means he just misses out as being the third winner on the list to Donnarumma. The Italian goalkeeper has been sensational this campaign with his performance at Anfield just one that will live long in the memory.

He arrived as the anti-Guardiola goalkeeper in many ways. While his ability to play out from the back has been understated, he was never going to be the next Ederson.

Instead, he is one of the best shot stoppers in the world and this has led him to keep another sensational goalkeeper out of the team.

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Losers

James Trafford

That other sensational goalkeeper is Trafford. Having signed from Burnley, the 23-year-old would have felt he was going to be first choice, until Donnarumma came along.

He has had to make do with a lack of games but City’s performances in the FA and Carabao Cup has given him more minutes than he perhaps would have received. As is the nature of this season, even those who have lost out have had moments to shine.

Trafford’s moment was under the arch on Sunday and nobody could have been happier for him than Guardiola and Donnarumma.

Phil Foden

After a brilliant November into December period, Foden has gone off the boil for the Blues. He has not scored since the win over Crystal Palace in December and since the Manchester derby, he has been forced into cameo roles from the bench.

This season was expected to be the response after a difficult 2024/25 where fixture congestion took its toll. But it has not quite happened for the midfielder.

He is in the England squad for this international break but there is no guarantee he will go to the World Cup if he does not, a) play more games and b) contribute more goals and assists.

John Stones

Stones has also made the England squad this month but he won’t think his spot on the plane is guaranteed either. The centre-back has had a decorated career at City despite injuries plaguing his career.

This season, a thigh issue kept him out for two months and he has struggled to find a rhythm since. It is expected he will leave at the end of this campaign and whoever snaps up the 31-year-old will be getting a brilliant defender.

But injuries have meant this season has not been the potential farewell tour he deserved.

Phil Foden could be set for more disappointment this season thanks to Arsenal’s Max Dowman

Phil Foden’s record as the youngest player ever to win a Premier League medal could be broken this season by Arsenal talent Max Dowman.

Dowman announced himself to the world of senior professional football last weekend in unforgettable fashion. Having become the youngest person ever to play in the Champions League earlier this season at the age of 15, the teenager was subbed on in the second half of last weekend’s Premier League match against Everton.

Despite the high-stakes nature of the game, with Arsenal teetering on the brink of a potential title-damaging 0-0 draw, Dowman demonstrated skills and composure far beyond his years to secure the victory. The Hale End academy graduate’s cross in the 89th minute led directly to a blunder by Jordan Pickford, enabling Viktor Gyokeres to score the first goal.

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Dowman’s standing as one of the most promising talents in world football was even more evident when he sprinted the length of the pitch during a counterattack before coolly slotting in the winning goal in the 97th minute.

It made him the youngest ever Premier League goal-scorer, aged 16 and 73 days, in what many predict will be an extraordinary career. And the teenage sensation could still shatter more records this season, including one set by Manchester City’s Foden back in May 2018.

Dowman has already featured in three league matches this season, meaning he requires just two more across Arsenal’s seven remaining fixtures to secure a Premier League winners’ medal, should they not squander their nine-point advantage at this late stage.

The Gunners are the bookies’ favourite to finally win the title again, which would make Dowman the youngest player ever to achieve this feat. Having only celebrated his 16th birthday on New Year’s Eve, Dowman would shatter Foden’s record of securing the title aged 17 years and 350 days.

Foden, who reached the minimum five appearances required in the 2017/18 campaign for City, failed to find the net across those matches, unlike Dowman. And the duo could meet for the first time this Sunday in the eagerly-awaited Carabao Cup final.

Former PFA Players’ Player of the Year Foden, 25, is currently enduring a disappointing campaign by his lofty standards, having netted 10 goals and provided five assists in all competitions. Nevertheless, he is expected to be included in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad announcement ahead of two World Cup 2026 preparation fixtures later this month.

Meanwhile, the general view is that the World Cup this summer will arrive too early for Dowman and he is therefore expected to miss out on the forthcoming friendlies. Tuchel not selecting Dowman at this time would not be a judgement of his ability but rather an attempt to shield him from the spotlight at such a tender age.

Our regular Q&A this week looks at the form of Phil Foden, the ticketing issues annoying Manchester City supporters and a stronger backline for Pep Guardiola.

06:00, 17 Feb 2026

There’s no shortage of Manchester City topics to discuss as Pep Guardiola’s men look to compete in four competitions this season after the disappointment of last year. We’ve got every game and press conference covered for you but we also know that there is so much more going on around that.

That’s why we are holding regular Q&A sessions with our chief City writer Simon Bajkowski. The day of the week it comes out on may change depending on what City’s schedule looks like, but essentially this is your chance to get an answer on anything you want – simply pop your question here at any time of the week and Simon will pick them all up and wrap everything up in one place.

This week has questions on Nico O’Reilly and Phil Foden, how City’s defence will look next season and some of the ticketing issues that have been angering supporters of late. Stay tuned this week for more on tickets.

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Are we winning prem? Amir

A nice short one to start and straight to the point from Amir – I like it. Obviously I can’t say if City are winning the league but it has been a very positive week for them with the comeback at Anfield backed up by a comfortable win over Fulham and Arsenal dropping points at Brentford. Four points is not very much at all when there are 12 games left, both teams are in four competitions still and Arsenal have yet to travel to the Etihad.

Because other competitions are coming into play more in the final months, there are actually only four league games for City before they face Arsenal: Newcastle at home, Leeds away, West Ham away, and Chelsea away. Much will depend on form and City still have to prove they have the consistency to go on a winning streak but it is hard to imagine that the gap will be drastically different by the time Arsenal come up to Manchester. There’s also momentum and fatigue, which will be two big factors that will make a big difference. The winners of the Carabao Cup final will take momentum from it and the Champions League and FA Cup draws can also distract from or boost chances in the league.

What is certain is that City feel they can win the league, and there is renewed life and energy in the squad after gaining ground on Arsenal in the last week and how they did it. Guardiola has that glint back in his eye and – unlike most of his squad – he knows exactly what they need to do to win things.

Hi Simon, Nico O’Reilly has been impressive this season at both left-back and in central midfield. I personally believe his versatility and ability to play multiple positions could help take him to the World Cup, but at the same time, I’m concerned that he might struggle to settle into one specific role and instead move between positions, similar to what happened with Foden and Rico Lewis earlier in their careers. Do you think this versatility will ultimately benefit his development, or could it make it harder for him to establish himself in one position? And which position do the club ultimately see him settling into in the long term? I believe the club’s perspective could influence their approach in the summer transfer window. TJ

Hi TJ, what to do with Nico O’Reilly? I was having a conversation about him with somebody the other day because he’s an incredible athlete and his physicality seemed what City were crying out for in their midfield last season – but if he had played there last season I don’t know if he’d have been swallowed up by City’s sinking ship and maybe he is better in midfield for having played left-back.

City did see him as a midfielder at the beginning of the campaign but then the early defeats and injuries saw Guardiola pivot back to last season’s recovery plan of O’Reilly and Nunes on the wings and flooding the middle of the pitch further forward. After City’s recent wobble, the introduction of the box/diamond midfield has allowed O’Reilly to step up and it has been great to see him thrive as a No.6 or a No.8.

I can see the concerns about versatility, and maybe him playing in midfield prevents him from nailing down a spot as England’s left-back at the World Cup, for instance. Thomas Tuchel has fairly clear ideas about where he wants to play people though and he will like O’Reilly’s ability to play not just different positions but different game states. I also think he will end up in City’s midfield in the long-term. More so than Foden and Lewis, he has that physicality that stands him out in the current game but he is also exactly the kind of box-crashing midfielder that Guardiola loves.

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Are City aware of the ticketing issue or are they planning on making some changes starting from the next season? Steve

Do City employees at a high enough level know about the hardcore match-going fans’ disenchantment with the ticketing policies? Do they not know at all? Do they know but think they are still on the right track & it’s just moaners and a minority? Dave

Two questions on ticketing that I’ve put together because they have some crossover. I know there has been a lot of tension around tickets and we haven’t done enough to give that frustration a voice this season but hopefully will be doing a few pieces over the next few weeks to talk about it. I think the employees that Dave speaks of know about the issues with disenchantment to some extent but possibly not all the details.

It is only in the last few weeks that there have been visible patches of empty seats around the ground so attendances have still been very good this season and the club obviously wouldn’t have built 6,000 extra seats in the North Stand if they did not think they could fill them. The club could see the latest annual survey of supporters done by 1894 and see that their measures to improve fan safety – the biggest concern on last year’s issue – has been a success and that is at least in some part down to the stricter rules on membership and ticket transfer.

However, ticket transfer is now the biggest issue so work needs to be done there. To answer Steve’s question, what I would say is that the club introduced Flexi-Gold tickets instead of season tickets, heard all of the criticism, and then made considerable changes to Flexi-Gold as a result; it still isn’t perfect, but it is far better.

I would be surprised if they didn’t look at ticket transfer and pricing and other aspects before deciding on their plans for next season – nobody knows, for instance, what will happen if season ticket holders do not meet the minimum threshold for games – but they will definitely want to see attendances and atmosphere up for the big league and Champions League games to come or alarm bells will really be ringing.

Who out of Gvardiol, Guehi, Dias and Khusanov is most likely to be phased out next season, should they all be fit? Is Khusanov worried about his starting spot? He recently said in an interview that he prefers a CB role. Mike

I had to chuckle at the idea of any of these four being phased out, Mike. I’d expect them to all have strong involvement in a team that is going for all four competitions. City had five centre-backs at the beginning of last season and ended up buying three in the January window (they did loan one out) and then had five at the beginning of this season and ended up buying one in the January window and recalling another. For the modern game, you need five strong centre-backs in your squad – as City had for the Treble.

Nico Gonzalez is the only City player to have started more consecutive games than Khusanov so he should be confident going into next season that he will get plenty of minutes; as will Guehi, Ruben Dias is part of the leadership team and Josko Gvardiol will hopefully come back from his injury without issues. The bigger question is who will add to the list of centre-backs: can a young player like Alleyne or Vitor Reis take it, could Nathan Ake and John Stones spring a late surprise and stay, or will the Blues look to sign another experienced player that will only add to the competition for a starting spot?

Foden has been in indifferent form for around a year and a half. At what point does this stop being seen as a blip and instead become something viewed as more permanent? Rob

A fair question, Rob, after at least six weeks of underperformance. There can be no denying that Foden looked back to his best in the first part of this season. Coming into the team for the Manchester derby in September, he had plenty of promising performances that didn’t make headlines and then started to get regular goals and assists that did. But by the time he was (fairly) nominated for the December Player of the Month award he was already into a January rut that he is yet to get out of.

Obviously his issues last season are well documented. It felt to me that he was played too often in November and December and, unlike Dias or Gvardiol, for example, never got injured to get the rest he needed. I’d like to think that a proper rest over the next two weeks will see him lift himself again and he needs to do that if he wants to make the World Cup squad – whether he gets picked for the March internationals will be interesting.

If he can’t do that, you are entering Jack Grealish and John Stones territory where if one poor season can be excused, two in a row make it difficult for you to keep your position. The next few months are important for how Foden wants to be seen as a footballer.

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Manchester City advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon but the performance against League Two Salford City was below par

Manchester City had a week to remember leading up to their FA Cup fourth-round tie against Salford City this weekend. It started at Anfield, a bogey ground for so long and with 15 minutes of normal time remaining, it looked like it would remain that way too.

But City dug deep and found a way to win as Bernardo Silva’s instinctive finish and an Erling Haaland penalty saw the Blues beat Liverpool on Merseyside, with fans, for the first time under Pep Guardiola. City then took that momentum and carried it into Wednesday night when Fulham were brushed aside before half-time.

The mood only got lighter on Thursday when Arsenal dropped points at Brentford to ensure the gap was cut to four with the two teams still set to meet each other in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium in April. When Guardiola sat down for his pre-match press conference, he was understandably happy but he explained his team was mentally and physically tired.

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However, he also insisted the standards which they demand every day should not alter, regardless of the opposition. “I try to knuckle it in the minds of the players that nothing is taken for granted and everything is difficult,” Guardiola said.

After the full-time whistle, Guardiola was insistent on one thing. Those standards had not been reached. “The only good news [is] that we go through. That’s all,” the City boss insisted. “It would be nice for me to say mentally we’re exhausted, we’re tired. It has been a tough two or three weeks for many reasons but it’s our job.

“We have to do what we have to do. The calendar says to play every few days. We just didn’t read where the spaces were and that’s why everything was flat and slow and not good.”

Arguably it was only James Trafford who managed to come away with any form of credit having made a couple of good stops to avoid a potentially nervier afternoon. But while none of the outfield players came away with much credit, two have potentially missed a big chance to give Guardiola a headache as we head towards what will be a busy March.

The first was Tijjani Reijnders. In December and over the Christmas period, the Dutchman showed the sort of goalscoring form City were hoping he would bring when he arrived from AC Milan.

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But, with a host of players who can play in the 4-1-4-1 formation behind the centre-forward, you need to stand out when you get your chance. Unfortunately for Reijnders, he was too casual with the ball and he often saw the game breakdown when he chose the wrong option.

Where Reijnders can be forgiven is that he is still settling into English football, in his first season at a new club. Inconsistent performances can be expected.

More concerning, though, was Phil Foden’s display. City’s academy graduate was burnt out last season after a summer international tournament and there was signs earlier in the season, the midfielder could be returning to the lofty standards he sets himself.

However, the 25-year-old has not scored since December and his displays are more reminiscent of the Foden of 2024/25 rather than 2023/24. On Foden, Guardiola said after Salford: “I said many times, I have zero, zero, zero doubts, zero about Phil.

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“He has to recover himself good and just focus on playing football and going to fish. He loves fishing and that’s it.

“When he is that, Phil is back and will be back. It’s not 20 centuries ago when he was the best player in the Premier League. It was around the corner. It was not many seasons ago.”

But while Guardiola does not doubt Foden, it is hard to see a scenario where he starts against Newcastle United next weekend. Bernardo, Rayan Cherki and perhaps even Nico O’Reilly are ahead of both him and Reijnders at the moment.

Against Salford, those who do not play often had the chance to make a point to Guardiola. Especially the likes of Reijnders and Foden who provide an option in an area where the Blues are so well stocked.

Now they must wait for their next chance having missed a golden opportunity to give Guardiola something to think about.

Manchester City welcome League Two Salford City to the Etihad Stadium for the second time in as many seasons on Saturday afternoon

Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola insisted he has drilled into his team that no game is easy and that everything they want to achieve is difficult to accomplish. However, City fans will be hopeful their side can progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup when they take on League Two Salford City this afternoon.

The Blues have only faced the Ammies once and that was last season when they squared off in the third round of this competition. Guardiola’s men were 8-0 winners that day and after a 10-1 victory over Exeter City last month, City will be confident they can produce an equally comfortable scoreline.

Guardiola also admitted in his press conference his team were exhausted after a gruelling schedule in recent weeks. Therefore, it is almost guaranteed we will see wholesale changes to the starting line-up which beat Fulham on Wednesday night.

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James Trafford will start in goal and City lose no quality with that selection. Only arguably the world’s best goalkeeper is preventing Trafford from playing more for the Blues and Guardiola will have no qualms starting him in the FA Cup after his recent performances vs Newcastle in the Carabao Cup.

In defence, Rico Lewis has struggled for games this season as Matheus Nunes impresses at right-back. He started in the last round and could do so again, as could Max Alleyne who has lost his place to the brilliant Marc Guehi in recent matches.

John Stones returned to the bench on Wednesday and Guardiola will assess whether he can start in the build-up to kick off. Even if he plays a half, it will be a good first step as he looks to recover.

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The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.

Rodri could have a rest enforced on him next week after being charged by the FA due to his comments about officials following the game at Tottenham. Despite this, City will probably stick with the plan of starting Nico Gonzalez, especially if he needs to get back up to speed should he be needed to replace his fellow countryman.

Phil Foden has not played often but having started in midweek, he could be rested to allow Ryan McAidoo to start on the right. He was good against Exeter and deserved his goal so giving him another shot at first-team football would be deserved.

Erling Haaland’s injury scare on Wednesday should be enough to ensure he does not feature against Salford. Omar Marmoush is the most likely candidate to replace him.

City’s predicted line-up vs Salford: Trafford; Lewis, Stones, Alleyne, Ait-Nouri; Gonzalez; McAidoo, Cherki, Reijnders, Semenyo; Marmoush

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