City boss Pellegrini to give youth a chance against Chelsea

Andy Hampson 08:32 21/02/2016
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  • Shaking it up: Manuel Pellegrini will ring the changes against Chelsea.

    The City manager looks likely to carry out his threat to field a weakened team for the fifth-round trip to Stamford Bridge.

    Pellegrini is concerned about the workload on the fit members of his injury-ravaged squad at the start of a week which includes a Champions League trip to Dynamo Kiev and the League Cup final with Liverpool at Wembley.

    “When young players have the opportunity, they must take their chance,” said Pellegrini. “The team we are going to play against Chelsea will give young players a chance.

    “They must take the chance in the correct way to show why they are so near to the first team and try to get the trust of the manager.”

    City had wanted the tie played yesterday because they have made plans to travel to Kiev on Monday ahead of the first leg of their last-16 clash against the Ukrainian club on Wednesday.

    That could not be accommodated for police reasons – Chelsea’s neighbours Fulham are at home on the same day – and because the BBC requested to televise the game.

    With a lengthy injury list that has already reduced him to 13 fit senior outfield players, Pellegrini feels he has no option but to rest some of his star names. Joe Hart will step down for Willy Caballero, as in all domestic cup matches this season, while Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure, David Silva and Sergio Aguero are also among those likely to sit out.

    Kelechi Iheanacho, hat-trick hero in the fourth-round win at Aston Villa, is set to start while other youngsters in the reckoning include recent matchday squad members Cameron Humphreys, Bersant Celina, Brandon Barker, Aleix Garcia and Manu Garcia.

    Chelsea’s interim boss Guus Hiddink could field some youngsters today, too. Bertrand Traore scored his first Premier League goal for the Blues in last weekend’s 5-1 defeat of Newcastle and the Dutchman backed the Burkina Faso
    international – whose recruitment by Chelsea is under scrutiny – to thrive if called upon.

    “I don’t hesitate putting him in if needed,” Hiddink said. “He is improving tremendously I think in the previous weeks and months.”

    It is a weekly occurrence, but the clamour for Hiddink to stay will surely grow if Chelsea can continue their resurgence since Jose Mourinho’s departure. But the 69-year-old again dismissed any possibility of staying at Stamford Bridge
    beyond the end of the season.

    “I feel fit, fresh and, every morning, I go with a smile,” Hiddink said. “Although we have a difficult time when there’s a loss, I love to go to Cobham, to the training field. On the other hand, young people must take over and I must retreat a bit.”

    Asked if he could be tempted to work elsewhere in the Premier League, he said: “No, no, no. I’m not thinking of working elsewhere.”

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