Manchester City's Under-21s suffered a 5-0 defeat to Port Vale in the EFL Trophy, ending their campaign in the competition. The young Blues now turn their attention to a crucial UEFA Youth League match against RB Leipzig, with new goalkeeper Seb Jensen joining the ranks.
New Keeper Joins City Ranks
City have added 20-year-old goalkeeper Seb Jensen to their setup. Jensen last played for Brighton but has moved to the Etihad, where he supports the first-team keepers in training. He also trains with Oli Reiss' side when not required by Enzo Maresca's squad. City operate with four goalkeepers across training, leading to the decision to bring Jensen in.
Jensen is the son of former Premier League goalkeeper Brian Jensen, who played in the top flight with Burnley. The younger Jensen has been capped by Denmark at Under-18 level and was previously on the books of Everton.
Maresca's Youth Focus
Enzo Maresca has continued his commitment to promoting youth this season, handing minutes to Ryan McAidoo, Floyd Samba, and Kaden Braithwaite. On Wednesday night, young striker Dexter Oliver was included in the squad for the Carabao Cup tie with Brighton.
Maresca, who was Under-21 boss for a season at City earlier in his coaching career, prioritises a clear pathway from academy to first team. Hours before the Brighton match, he watched City Under-18s beat Southampton 2-0 in a Premier League Cup tie, with Timeo Whisker scoring both goals. That result leaves City top of their group ahead of the final match against Burnley.
Trophy Disappointment
City's EFL Trophy campaign ended with the heavy defeat at Port Vale. The young Blues trailed 4-0 at the break after a one-sided first half. Oli Reiss' side improved after the interval but could not find a way back into the match.
Reiss expressed his frustration, noting the competition's value for development. "Every game more we have in this competition will give us more opportunities to learn and develop and this makes it a little bit more disappointing in terms of this being the last game in this competition," he told the Manchester Evening News. "This is first of all a learning competition for us although we want to win every game. In this game you get the feeling of what you need to be competitive, and to be where they want to play."
Youth League Opportunity
City's Under-19s take on RB Leipzig on Wednesday in the UEFA Youth League, having taken one point from their opening three matches. They lost to Porto and PSG but drew with AEK Athens last time out.
With only six matches in the league phase, City are in need of points. They currently sit 31st in the 36-team league, level on points with Leipzig and two points adrift of Napoli. City finish the league phase with a match at Barcelona.
