Manchester City discovered that a recent amendment to Carabao Cup eligibility rules can be both a blessing and a frustration as they prepare for the second leg of their semi-final against Newcastle United.
The Cityzens strengthened their squad during the January window with the arrival of defender Marc Guehi, yet the timing of the move means he will play no part in the tie.
This season marked the first campaign in which the EFL amended Carabao Cup eligibility rules and allowed players to represent two different clubs in the same edition of the competition following a transfer.
The most obvious example came in the opening leg when £62.5m recruit Antoine Semenyo made an immediate impression.
The forward scored once and had another effort contentiously ruled out, underlining why City were willing to invest so heavily in his talent.
Alongside him, young goalkeeper Max Alleyne returned early from a loan spell at Watford and produced a composed display to keep a clean sheet.
Their contributions helped Pep Guardiola’s side establish a valuable 2-0 advantage heading into the return meeting.
Those performances demonstrated the potential benefit of the revised regulations. In previous years both players would have been ineligible, yet they were able to influence one of the biggest matches of City’s domestic campaign.
Guardiola will again be able to call upon Semenyo and Alleyne at the Etihad on Wednesday as City attempt to secure a place in their first League Cup final since their remarkable run of four consecutive triumphs between 2018 and 2021.
Newcastle’s recent history in Manchester is poor, and the Blues will be confident of protecting their lead in front of a home crowd.
However, the same Carabao Cup eligibility rules that aided City has also created a complication surrounding Guehi.
The England international completed a £20m switch from Crystal Palace late in the window, arriving as a long-term solution to defensive injuries.
Despite the new flexibility, the regulations included a cut-off date requiring players to be registered before the first leg of the semi-final.
Because Guehi joined after that fixture had already been played, he remains ineligible for the remainder of the tie.
The situation has left City with a sense of what might have been. Guehi’s experience and leadership would have provided valuable cover as the season enters a demanding phase, yet he must watch from the sidelines while his new team-mates attempt to finish the job.
Even if City progress to Wembley, the defender will again be forced to sit out, a quirk of timing that highlights the limitations of the revised system.
Guardiola weighs options for the run-in
While the absence of Guehi is a disappointment, City still possess considerable depth for the decisive encounter.
Semenyo’s lively debut has given Guardiola another attacking option alongside his established stars, and Alleyne’s defending ability has eased concerns over injuries in that department.
- Full list of 20 players who left and joined Man City in January revealed
- Senior Man City player ready for dramatic switch to another English club
The manager will hope their momentum continues as he plots a route back to a competition that once became his personal domain.
Another player who could feature in the coming weeks is Sverre Nypan. The young midfielder has returned from a loan at Middlesbrough after struggling for regular minutes on Teesside.
City opted to terminate the season-long arrangement in order to integrate him into first-team training, believing the environment around Guardiola will accelerate his development.
According to Carabao Cup eligibility rules, Nypan is eligible to play against Newcastle United because he did not appear for Middlesbrough in the tournament.
Although it is unlikely he will be thrust straight into the intensity of a semi-final second leg, his availability adds to the options on the bench and reflects City’s broader strategy of blending youth with high-profile acquisitions.
