Pep Guardiola has confirmed that James Trafford will be Manchester City's starting goalkeeper for Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Arsenal. The manager had previously indicated that he would likely select his second-choice goalkeeper for the match at Wembley.
Trafford, who has played throughout City's Carabao Cup run, impressed in the semi-final against Newcastle. The 22-year-old received his first England call-up from Thomas Tuchel on Friday. Guardiola decided against selecting Champions League winner Gianluigi Donnarumma for the final.
Guardiola acknowledged that Trafford may be disappointed with his limited game time since joining from Burnley in the summer. 'Players can be happy, unhappy. It is what it is,' he said. 'They have to be here to do the best they can do and after we will see what happens at the end of the season. The important thing is they have to be ready.'
The City boss, who could win a record fifth League Cup, stressed the importance of reaching finals. 'Being there is an honour and a big challenge,' he said. 'You have to have the flavour that it's a big opportunity, because you never know when it's going to happen again.'
