Pep Guardiola provides significant squad update ahead of Liverpool meeting

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a key squad update ahead of Thursday’s Carabao Cup fourth round tie with Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium.

A cup clash against Liverpool will mark the Blues’ return to competitive action following the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

16 members of Pep Guardiola’s side featured at the tournament, with Julian Alvarez part of Argentina’s World Cup winning squad.

City stars are making a stagnated return to East Manchester, as the Sky Blues prepare to resume their Premier League campaign away to Leeds United next week.

A handful of first-team players are expected to be involved at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday, with a place in the quarter-finals of the competition on the line.

Erling Haaland and Riyad Mahrez both didn’t feature in the Middle East, while Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan returned following Belgium and Germany’s Group Stage exits.

Aymeric Laporte, Rodri and Manuel Akanji were all pictured returning to training ahead of Thursday’s meeting with Liverpool, with Guardiola revealing that a further six players were to be welcomed back on Wednesday.

Providing an update on the fitness of his squad at his press conference ahead of the Carabao Cup match, Pep Guardiola said:“We will see. I have a player the players in the World Cup are a better condition than were here.”

“Sergio, Erling, Riyad miss a little bit. The players who come back competed and trained every day. Normal to keep the rhythm, the players who weren’t there to keep the rhythm. We have to do it.”

“Step by step people come back, today come back six players. First time, we are happy they are back, in general play really well. The play a unique experience. Let them try to come back as soon as possible. Work for the team and maybe four years they live another experience.”

Manchester City are bidding to win the League Cup for a ninth time in their history, having knocked out last years runners-up Chelsea in the third round.