Manchester City defender is ineligibile while fellow January signing Antoine Semenyo will feature
The English Football League will not change the rule preventing Manchester City defender Marc Guehi from playing in the Carabao Cup final, even if the club make an appeal.
Players who have previously played for a club in the competition were traditionally cup-tied, meaning they could not play for any other club if they were to transfer midseason.
However, a rule change implemented this season has allowed players to play for a second club in the competition, but with the clause that if they were to transfer after the first leg of the semi-final they would be ineligible to play for the rest of the competition – ie, the final.
City signed two players in January, Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth and Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, both of whom had participated in the competition earlier for their respective clubs.
Semenyo was signed before the first leg of the semi-final, allowing him to play both legs against Newcastle, scoring in both games. He is also eligible to play in the final against Arsenal on 22 March.
However, his new teammate Guehi was signed after the first leg, ruling him out of the second leg at the Etihad, which City won 3-1, and keeping him ineligible for the final.
Pep Guardiola showed his frustration after the game on Wednesday and said City would appeal for the defender to be allowed to play.
“Hopefully we can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc Guehi can play in the final,” Guardiola said. “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.”
City signed Guehi for £20m and are paying him wages estimated at around £300,000 a week.
Former City goalkeeper and current pundit Shay Given said it was “farcical” that Semenyo should play and lift the Carabao trophy, while Guehi, signed only a week later, can’t.
“Once you play in the competition, you shouldn’t be allowed to play [again for another team],” said Given. “He should be cup-tied like it’s always been. But it’s one rule for Semenyo and one rule for Guehi.
“If Guehi has played already for Palace, the same as Semenyo has already played for Bournemouth, he should be allowed to play in the final.”
