The Carabao Cup has long been a competition in which managers have experimented, tried out new things and blooded youngsters that are on the cusp of the first-team at their club.
Pep Guardiola is no different, handing starts to four players from Manchester City’s academy for the game against Leicester and naming three other potential players of the future on the bench.
Sportsmail takes a look at the young players involved in Guardiola’s team on Tuesday evening.
Youngster Phil Foden gets a start for the Manchester City first team in the Carabao Cup
Tosin Adarabioyo
Long touted as one of the better prospects in Manchester City’s academy. Tosin Adarabioyo stalled slightly last season amid a minor contract dispute with the club. After penning fresh terms towards the end of the campaign, he has been given opportunities by Pep Guardiola – the EFL Cup game against Wolves and the Champions League tie at Shakhtar. A physical presence at the back comparable with more mature players and a good reader of the game.
Tosin Adarabioyo’s development stalled slightly last season amid a minor contract dispute
Oleksandr Zinchenko
An attacking midfielder who spent a segment of last season on loan at PSV Eindhoven, although he ended up making nearly half of his appearances for their youth team Jong PSV in the Dutch second tier as the campaign wore on. Has a level of pedigree – was in the Ukraine squad for Euro 2016. Has settled well in England since his move in June 2016. Already refers to Manchester as his ‘home’. And has been helped to settle by Fernandinho, who speaks Russian from his time at Shakhtar Donetsk.
Phil Foden
Phil Foden has the world at his feet and has been name-dropped regularly by both Guardiola and people outside of City as a player to keep an eye on. Named as the young sports personality of the year at the BBC’s award ceremony on Sunday evening. That followed a spectacular 2017 in which he helped England’s Under-17s win the World Cup in India. Guardiola said ‘his performance was on another level’ after the pre-season Manchester derby. Foden, if he keeps this progression up, can be a star.
Foden has the world at his feet and has been name-dropped regularly by Guardiola as a star
Brahim Diaz
Another attack-minded midfielder who made a telling impact in pre-season. Brahim Diaz came on as a substitute in the game against Real Madrid and managed to score a spectacular goal. He also linked up well with City’s more senior players during that tour of the United States. Diaz, alongside Foden, is the young player closest to the senior side at the Etihad. This will be his third appearance for the senior team of the campaign.
Brahim Diaz came on as a substitute against Real Madrid and scored a spectacular goal
BENCH
Lukas Nmecha
Named in the squad for the game against Wolves but yet to make a senior appearance. Linked with a move to Everton in January.
Demeaco Duhaney
A 19-year-old right-back who linked up with the first-team over pre-season, featuring against Tottenham. Has played 10 games for City’s Elite Development Squad.
Tom Dele-Bashiru
Tom Dele-Bashiru is an 18-year-old midfielder who has been compared to Yaya Toure by City fans.