Cup rules state new signings must arrive before semi-final first leg
City will ask EFL to clarify rule: ‘Hopefully they can change it’
Pep Guardiola has questioned the rule which means Marc Guéhi cannot play in the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal in March, though the Manchester City manager has said the club will ask the Football League to reconsider.
City reached the Wembley showpiece after Wednesday’s 3-1 semi-final second-leg win against Newcastle, which gave them a 5-1 aggregate victory after the 2-0 result in the first leg on 13 January.
Guéhi was not eligible as he had already played for Crystal Palace earlier in the competition and joined City on 19 January for £20m. The EFL Cup rule 6.4.2 states that a player can represent two clubs in the trophy if he joins the second club before the semi-final first leg. Antoine Semenyo was eligible for the semi‑final as he joined from Bournemouth on 9 January.
