Manchester City have been dealt a significant injury blow with the news that winger Jeremy Doku could miss the entire festive schedule, as manager Pep Guardiola prepares to rotate his squad heavily for Wednesday's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Brentford.
Doku Sidelined for Crucial Period
The Belgian international, who has been in electrifying form this season, sat out Sunday's Premier League victory at Crystal Palace due to a leg problem. Guardiola has now confirmed that the forward will also be unavailable for the upcoming league fixtures against West Ham United and Nottingham Forest.
The club are holding out hope that Doku could make a return for the trip to Sunderland on New Year's Day. City's attacking options are further depleted by the departure of Omar Marmoush, who has joined up with the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Guardiola's Cup Strategy and Academy Call-Ups
With a packed fixture list, Guardiola is planning wholesale changes for the EFL Cup last-eight tie at the Etihad Stadium. He confirmed that all players who did not feature against Palace will start, supplemented by several academy prospects.
Youngsters Reigan Heskey, Stephen Mfuni, and Kaden Braithwaite have been training regularly with the first team and are in contention. "The really important game is West Ham," Guardiola stated, emphasising his prioritisation of the Premier League clash just three days after the cup match.
Key midfield duo Rodri and John Stones will also miss the Brentford encounter, providing an opportunity for fringe and youth players to impress.
Trafford's Future and Guardiola's Leadership Lesson
Goalkeeper James Trafford is set for a rare start against Brentford. Despite speculation about a potential January move ahead of the World Cup, Guardiola expressed a clear desire to keep his number two at the club.
"He is with us and will be with us this season and after we will see what happens," the City boss said, praising Trafford as an "incredible keeper" behind first-choice Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Guardiola also reflected on a painful lesson learned from City's shock 2-0 Champions League defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, a match where Trafford last played. He attributed the loss to a lack of experienced leadership on the pitch, rather than the ten changes made.
"The problem against Leverkusen was not having a father figure on the pitch," Guardiola explained, highlighting the need for players who provide composure and make their teammates feel safe. He vowed to find a better balance between rotation and retaining crucial experience in future team selections.
