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Pep Guardiola has joked he may come out of retirement for Manchester City\u2019s Carabao Cup trip to Newcastle.<\/p>\n
The treble winners are three games into a run of seven matches in three weeks and manager Guardiola intends to make changes for Wednesday\u2019s third-round tie at St James\u2019 Park.<\/p>\n
However, with injuries affecting the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva, the options for rotation among his main first-team squad are actually limited.<\/p>\n
That has prompted the former Barcelona midfielder to jest that at 52, 17 years after calling time on a distinguished playing career \u2013 and notwithstanding his recent back surgery \u2013 he could lace up his boots once again.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cSome players who\u2019ve had a lot of minutes are not going to play against Newcastle.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe Carabao Cup is great for all the guys who don\u2019t play regularly. They can play some minutes and that\u2019s perfect.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut for the other players I\u2019m not going to waste one per cent of energy for Carabao Cup. The likes of Kyle (Walker), Ruben (Dias) \u2013 playing 90 minutes for us, 90 for the national team, they are exhausted already.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why we are going to play with the guys who need it, the Academy, maybe me. My back is getting better so I might manage a few minutes!\u201d<\/p>\n
One decision taken out of Guardiola\u2019s hands is the availability of Rodri after his sending off against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The Spain midfielder picked up an automatic three-game ban for violent conduct for raising his hands to the neck of Forest\u2019s Morgan Gibbs-White in City\u2019s 2-0 Premier League win at the Etihad Stadium.<\/p>\n
It is unlikely Rodri would have been involved at Newcastle but his absence against Wolves next weekend, and particularly Arsenal on October 8, could prove costly.<\/p>\n
Guardiola was rather more serious when expressing his anger over the conduct of his key holding midfielder on Saturday.<\/p>\n
It seems unlikely the club will appeal against his suspension.<\/p>\n
Guardiola said: \u201cI have to talk with the club but I\u2019m not going to change it. For me it\u2019s not three games, but the rules are the rules. Part of that, he has to learn, and hopefully it won\u2019t happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rodri\u2019s absence could offer a chance for England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who has found opportunities limited since his arrival from Leeds in the summer of 2022.<\/p>\n
He played the final 39 minutes against Forest as City reshaped with 10 men.<\/p>\n
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Guardiola said: \u201cHe played really well, the type of game that we needed. I\u2019m so pleased for him because he\u2019s an incredible guy.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not fazed about his minutes and he\u2019s a national player with England. With us he hasn\u2019t played much but he\u2019s really helped us.\u201d<\/p>\n