Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has asked the club to request an EFL rule change to allow Marc Guehi to play in the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley Stadium
Marc Guehi of Manchester City
Marc Guehi was ineligible for selection for Man City's Carabao Cup semi-final second leg win over Newcastle(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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Manchester City will request permission from the Football League to include Marc Guehi in March's Carabao Cup final against Arsenal. City's January signing missed the semi-final second leg triumph over Newcastle United, having not completed his transfer in time for the opening leg.
City's other January signing Antoine Semenyo had arrived before that match at St James' Park and featured in the 2-0 victory, finding the net.
City took advantage of a rule change this season which permitted players to represent two clubs in the same competition, allowing Antoine Semenyo and Max Alleyne to participate in the semi-final despite turning out for Bournemouth and Watford respectively in earlier rounds.
They were also able to include Sverre Nypan in their squad for the second leg, as he hadn't appeared in the competition whilst on loan at Middlesbrough.
Nevertheless, Guehi is currently ineligible to feature at Wembley against Arsenal due to a time constraint requiring players to be available for their second club before the semi-final first leg.
This means Guehi will once again have to watch from the sidelines despite Semenyo and Alleyne being available for selection.
Following the semi-final victory over Newcastle United, Manchester City's manager Pep Guardiola revealed that he has requested the club to appeal to the authorities for a rule change that would allow Guehi to play at Wembley.
Guardiola has expressed his confusion as to why a player who was signed in January won't be eligible to play for City in late March, when the Carabao Cup final is scheduled to take place at Wembley.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Guardiola said: "Hopefully in March, we can arrive with the player's fit and hopefully you can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc Guehi can play in the final because it's difficult to understand that the club who make a big investment to pay one player who belongs to us and I don't understand why he cannot play the final.
"So hopefully we write a letter and hopefully the Carabao Cup can understand. He's not able to play for a rule that I don't understand why. Hopefully, they can change it."
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Pep Guardiola has explained why he believes Marc Guehi should be able to play in the Carabao Cup final vs Arsenal(Image: Visionhaus, Visionhaus/Getty Images)
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The City boss further elaborated on his stance during his post-match press conference.
"Hopefully we can convince the Carabao Cup (EFL) that Marc can play the final. I don't understand why he cannot play the final," Guardiola said.
"Hopefully we make a letter. You buy a player for a lot of money and he is not able to play for a rule I don't understand. Hopefully they can change it. You hire a player and he can be disposed the next day. Hopefully we can convince the biggest teams. It is difficult to understand.
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"Apparently Marc cannot play the second leg because he didn't play the first. And Antoine arrived before the first so could play. And now it's the final.
"Why should he (Guehi) not play? Why not? We pay his salary, he is our player. It's like the Champions League, the last two games cannot play.
"I said to the club, they have to ask, definitely. I don't understand the reason why he cannot play in the final in March, when I have been here for a long time.
"The rules to buy a player depends on FIFA, UEFA, the Premier League who say, okay the transfer window is open, when you buy a player you have to play, no? It's logic. Of course we are going to try to ask [for] him to play. Pure logic."
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