RETURN OF THE MARC?
In any other season, Antoine Semenyo would not have been allowed to feature for Manchester City in the semi-final of Fizzy Cup due to being “cup-tied” after playing for Bournemouth in their August defeat to Brentford. Luckily for Semenyo, a change to the rules meant that Manchester City’s shiny new £65m winger is allowed to have a second crack at Fizzy Cup, because he was signed before the first leg of the semi-final, in which he played a starring role to help obliterate holders Newcastle United (a first leg in which Max Alleyne also excelled for City, despite having already represented Watford in the competition earlier this season). Having seen his team clearly benefit from this revolutionary tweak of Fizzy Cup rule 6.4.2, you’d expect Pep Guardiola to be delighted, eh? Oh.
In the aftermath of last night’s weird second leg in which Newcastle had their collective backside handed to them despite creating and missing enough chances to win several matches, Pep decided to ignore the conspicuous upsides of the new rule regarding eligibility and focus instead on what he saw as their inexplicably baffling downside. Specifically the one that states a player can only represent two clubs in Fizzy Cup if he joins the second one before a ball has been kicked in the semi-final. Sadly for Pep, it means his other January acquisition, Marc Guéhi, is now ineligible to play in the final because he didn’t arrive at the Etihad until after City had conquered St James’ Park.
“Antoine arrived before the first [leg] so could play,” said Pep. “And now it’s the final. Why should he [Guéhi] not play? Why not? We pay his salary, he is our player. I said to the club, they have to ask, definitely. I don’t understand the reason why he cannot play in the final in March, when I have been here for a long time. The rules to buy a player depends on Fifa, Uefa, the Premier League who say, OK the transfer window is open, when you buy a player you have to play, no? It’s logic. Of course we are going to try to ask [for] him to play. Pure logic.” While Football Daily would never be so bold as to accuse any manager of being even remotely self-serving, we can’t help but feel that Pep’s irritation at having to follow a competition’s clearly signposted rules might have something to do with the defensive injury crisis in which his team currently find themselves, which in turn prompted the acquisition of Guéhi in the first place.
The EFL have let it be known that any appeal to clear Guéhi to play in the final will be firmly rebuffed but given their penchant for pushing the envelope, City may risk picking him anyway safe in the knowledge that any subsequent investigation into their conduct will take aeons to complete. The good news for Pep is that another rule change means Guéhi will be allowed to represent his new team in the FA Cup, subject to him having cleansed himself of the stink of Crystal Palace’s defeat against Macclesfield last time out.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“James Milner is a role model, still playing on the level he plays and also training on the level he trains. I think that will be a special thing for him but he is focused on the ambitions from the club as well. He wants to be always successful, like he was his whole life” – Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler, who was nine years old when Milner made his top-flight debut in 2002, prepares to hand the veteran midfielder his record-equalling 653rd Premier League appearance.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
“Football Daily is correct in claiming that us Arsenal fans are really not counting any chickens regarding the quadruple. But then, we can also say we’ve already done it once back in 2006-07” – Mark Bennett.
“Re: Arsenal’s quest for four trophies: their next Bigger Cup tie is in what, if memory serves, was once referred to here as the Round of Arsenal. A name maybe due for revival?” – Mark Waters.
“No disrespect to anyone – least of all Kev McCready [yesterday’s Letters]. In any horse analogy, Milner surely is the ever reliable draughthorse and Timo Werner is the thoroughbred behind the green screens …” – Tony Schwensen.
If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Mark Bennett. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
Football Weekly Extra is here! Max Rushden, Barry Glendenning, Sam Dalling and Dan Bardell discuss the Fizzy Cup semi-finals and look ahead to Liverpool v Manchester City. Listen here or watch the video version if you prefer.
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