Pep Guardiola said Manchester City will ask the Football League for permission to play Marc Guehi in the Carabao Cup final after they breezed past Newcastle to set up a showdown with Arsenal.
The ineligible Guehi had to watch from the sidelines as City beat the Magpies 3-1 in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, completing a 5-1 aggregate win.
While fellow new boy Antoine Semenyo could play, Guehi was ineligible because he joined City after the first leg against Newcastle took place – and the rules mean the England international will be ineligible again come the final on March 22.
Guardiola acknowledged he did not expect City to be successful, but said they will make their case regardless.
“Why should he not play? Why not?” Guardiola said. “He’s our player, we pay his salary, we hired him…
“We want to ask. I said to the club we have to ask definitely. I don’t understand the reason why he cannot play in the final of the Carabao Cup in March when he has been here a long time…
“Of course we are going to ask because it’s pure logic. (But) to change the rule, no way. But we will try.”
Omar Marmoush was the star for City as he scored the opening two goals of the night before Tijjani Reijnders added a third, all inside 35 minutes.
Guardiola would have been concerned by the number of chances Newcastle created after the break, but with Anthony Elanga’s 62nd-minute strike the only one they converted, City were never overly troubled.
The win continues City’s run of having played at Wembley at least once every season since 2010-11.
“I do not take it for granted,” Guardiola said. “I know how difficult it is. I don’t know how many semi-finals and finals we have played in the FA Cup but it’s really good, and in 10 years five Carabao Cup finals so it’s really good: top, top, top.”
Marmoush, who previously scored a hat-trick against Newcastle, once again grabbed his chance against the Magpies with Erling Haaland starting on the bench.
“He gives us a special quality,” Guardiola said of the Egyptian. “His pace, his moments in behind, and his work ethic.”
Newcastle arrived in Manchester trailing 2-0 from the opening leg and knowing a strong start was essential.
Instead, they found themselves quickly 3-0 down and effectively out of it.
“(I was) really annoyed with the first half display,” boss Eddie Howe said. “We pride ourselves on being really organised and tactically we want to be able to handle any problem the opposition gives us. That first half we weren’t good enough individually and our duels were off and it gave us huge problems.”
To add to Howe’s worries, Anthony Gordon was forced off before half-time.
“It looks like a hamstring problem,” Howe said. “I don’t qute know how bad it was but it was enough for him to come off so that’s a big worry.”
