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Pep Guardiola has said he might have to select youth-team players on Wednesday amid a spate of injuries.
Manchester City teenager Jahmai Simpson-Pusey has been included in the first-team squad for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur.
The defender, who captained City to FA Youth Cup triumph last season, was part of the club’s squad that travelled to the USA on pre-season tour last summer but has never played a senior competitive game for City.
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That could change at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and Manchester World understands Simpson-Pusey has been selected in Pep Guardiola’s matchday squad. City are contending with a flurry of recent injuries, with six senior players missing.
Guardiola indicated last week that he might call up youth-team players for the Carabao Cup tie in the capital but said on Tuesday that he is wary of throwing in too many players against such high-quality opposition.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure for the young players in this stage against this opponent, for the way they play,” said the City boss. “There are some [youth players], but we play against Spurs,” he explained. “They are coming from a defeat and I know what is happening mentally, playing against Man City.”
Guardiola has previously used the Carabao Cup to blood youth-team players and handed Kaden Braithwaite a maiden appearance at just 16 in the last round against Watford. Simpson-Pusey could follow suit, and the 18-year-old was not named in City’s Under-21 squad against Grimsby Town on Tuesday night, the first game he’s missed this season at that age group.
Simpson-Pusey played against Celtic and AC Milan in pre-season and has been capped by England Under-18s. The centre-back is highly regarded at City and has trained with the senior team on several occasions over the last 12 months.
Rico Lewis, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and Josko Gvardiol are also defensive options for Guardiola against Ange Postecoglou’s side.