Pep Guardiola Downplays Carabao Cup Importance After Win Over Watford
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he is not prioritizing the Carabao Cup this season, stating he does not want to “waste energy” on the competition. His comments came after City advanced to the fourth round with a 2-1 victory over Watford at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
Guardiola made nine changes to the squad, just two days after a physically and emotionally draining clash against Arsenal.
He emphasized that his focus is elsewhere, saying, “In the next round, I think we will use players at the last minute or field the second team. We won’t waste energy on this competition.”
He also hinted that injuries could impact his approach in the coming rounds. “If I have a lot of injuries, I’ll rely on the second team. But for some players, it’s a good competition to get some rhythm.”
Manchester City took control early in the match, with Jeremy Doku and Matheus Nunes scoring first-half goals. Despite a late goal by Watford’s Tom Ince in the 86th minute, City held on for the win.
Watford manager Tom Cleverley was disappointed with the early mistake that led to Doku’s opener but praised his team’s resilience.
“Conceding so early is tough, but after that, we showed real tenacity and valued defending,” Cleverley said. “I made nine changes, and the players stepped up, giving me good options for the weekend.”
