Sky Sports News understands that the EFL will not change the rules allowing Marc Guehi to play for Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, despite manager Pep Guardiola’s appeal.
City defeated Newcastle 5-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals, setting up a Wembley showdown with Arsenal for the trophy. However, new signing Guehi was acquired from Crystal Palace after the first leg of the semi-final and is therefore ineligible to play in the final.
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Sky Sports’ Michael Bridge explains why Marc Gehi was tied for the cup in the Carabao Cup final between Manchester City and Arsenal.
Carabao Cup rules introduced for the first time this season state that if a player signs after the first semi-final, he is ineligible to play in the remainder of the competition.
In a press conference after City secured their place in the final, Guardiola said the rules were “incomprehensible” and said he wanted City to write to the EFL and appeal for the £20m defender to play against Arsenal on March 22, but any request is expected to be rejected.
Guehi has featured for Crystal Palace this season, playing in each of their three matches, including the quarter-final defeat to Arsenal.
Guardiola told Sky Sports: “I hope that the players can arrive in good health in March and I hope that in the Carabao Cup we can convince Marc Gehi that he can play in the final.” “Because I don’t understand why a club that invests so much in each of our players can’t play in the final.
“So let’s write a letter if we can, and hope the Carabao Cup understands. He can’t play with rules he doesn’t know why. Hopefully they can change it.”
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Highlights of the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg between Manchester City and Newcastle United.
Antoine Semenyo, who City signed from Bournemouth for £62.5m before the semi-final first leg against Newcastle, will be available for the final as well. He represented Bournemouth in August in the Carabao Cup second round defeat to Brentford.
Under the previous rules, players could only play for one club, and Semenyo would have been excluded from the final.
Sky Sports pundit Shay Given called the situation a “travesty” and said it was unfair that Semenyo was given the chance to win the trophy just 10 days before signing Guehi, arguing that both players should have either been eligible for the cup or the final.
“I don’t think Semenyo should be allowed to play either,” Given said. “Once he plays in the competition, he should not be allowed to play (for another team again). He should be cup-tied as before.
“But it’s a rule for Semenyo and it’s a rule for Guehi.
“If Gehi is already playing for Palace, just like Semenyo is already playing for Bournemouth, he should be allowed to play in the final (like Semenyo).
Antoine Semenyo is eligible for City’s competition
“Next month Semenyo can get the trophy, but Guehi will join in a week and he can’t. I don’t want to use the word farce, but I used it!”
But Micah Richards added: “Rules are rules. I can understand Pep’s frustration because you spent all that money on a player and you want him to play. But rules are rules.”
What does Man City’s schedule look like before the Carabao Cup final?
Man City will face Premier League title rivals Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on March 22nd, live on Sky Sports, with a chance of winning their first silver medal of the season, but what is City’s fixture schedule for the high-profile event?
28 February: Leeds (A) – Premier League, kick-off 5:30pm – live on Sky Sports 4 March: Nottingham Forest (H) – Premier League, kick-off 7:30pm 10/11 March: TBC – Champions League last 16, 8pm 14 March: West Ham (A) – Premier League, kick-off 12:30pm 17/18 March: TBC – Champions League final 4pm, 8pm
