Manchester City vs Newcastle United in the League Cup semi-final second leg will witness a remarkable number of absentees, with as many as 15 players potentially unavailable across the two squads.
The fixture at the Etihad Stadium should decide who progresses to Wembley, yet both managers are being forced to plan around significant injury lists.
Pep Guardiola’s side carry a commanding advantage after securing a 2-0 win in the opening leg at St. James’ Park.
That result placed City in firm control of the tie and appeared to leave Eddie Howe’s side with a mountain to climb.
Even so, recent events have shown how quickly momentum can shift. City’s unexpected stumble against Tottenham, when they surrendered a two-goal lead to draw, has offered Newcastle a glimmer of encouragement.
The mood around the Etihad is therefore mixed. Confidence remains high that the job can be completed, but Guardiola must balance that belief with the reality of a depleted squad.
Newcastle, meanwhile, arrive wounded after a heavy 4-1 defeat at Liverpool, yet aware that one strong performance could still turn the contest on its head.
Ahead of the Manchester City vs Newcastle United in the League Cup semi-final second leg, we examined the likely absentees and the problems confronting each manager as the decisive night approaches.
One player who will definitely not appear is Marc Guehi. Although fully fit, the defender is ineligible because he was not registered before the first leg, a frustrating administrative blow for City at such a crucial stage of the competition.
City’s injury concerns begin with Rayan Cherki, who impressed in the first half in north London before being withdrawn.
Guardiola explained ahead of the Carabao Cup match: “Rayan had a knock and we will see today how he feels,” leaving open the possibility of a late assessment.
The Frenchman’s creativity has become important to City, and his absence would be keenly felt.
Defensively the Sky Blues continue to struggle for continuity. Ruben Dias has returned to training after a month on the sidelines, a welcome boost, yet the Portuguese centre-back is unlikely to be rushed straight back into competitive action.
Guardiola must therefore decide whether to rely on less experienced options for such a high-stakes encounter.
The situation is clearer regarding Jeremy Doku. The Belgian winger has been ruled out entirely after suffering an injury during the 2-0 victory over Galatasaray.
Guardiola confirmed he will not be involved against Newcastle, depriving City of one of their most explosive attacking weapons.
Long-term injuries also weigh heavily on the squad. Josko Gvardiol remains sidelined after breaking his leg in the home clash with Chelsea last month, a setback that removed a key figure from Guardiola’s back line.
John Stones has not featured since the dramatic 5-4 win at Fulham, the England defender still battling a troublesome thigh problem.
Savinho finds himself in a similar position, also nursing a thigh injury that is expected to keep him out of the semi-final.
In midfield, Mateo Kovacic has been absent since November because of an ankle issue and is not yet ready to return, further limiting Guardiola’s options in the centre of the park.
Newcastle’s difficulties are just as pronounced. Their captain Bruno Guimaraes has missed the last three matches with an ankle injury and is not expected to recover in time for the trip to Manchester.
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His leadership and composure have been badly missed, particularly in the heavy defeat at Anfield.
Right-back Tino Livramento has been another notable absentee, not featuring since early January.
Joelinton is also struggling; a groin problem has threatened his participation despite Howe revealing that the Brazilian recently travelled to Barcelona for an injection in an attempt to speed up his recovery.
Young midfielder Lewis Miley, who had been enjoying a breakthrough season, suffered a knee injury before the Liverpool game and is set to miss out as well.
Fabian Schar’s absence is more long-term after undergoing ankle surgery last month, leaving a sizeable gap in Newcastle’s defence.
