The 2019-20 FA Youth Cup resumes on Friday, but the strength of the squad sent by semi-finalists Manchester City will depend much on the first-team plans of Pep Guardiola.
City are aiming to make their fifth final in six years when they take on Blackburn Rovers at St George’s Park, with the winner set to face either Manchester United or Chelsea in Monday’s final.
They last lifted the trophy in 2008 and would have a good chance of ending their 12-year wait had the coronavirus not forced football to shut down in the spring.
Among those who were part of the squad back then include Liam Delap, Cole Palmer, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tommy Doyle; all of whom have played for Guardiola’s first-team already this season.
Whether they will play in the last-four of the Youth Cup now depends on the Catalan, who may well call on some or all to be part of his own squad for Saturday's trip to Sheffield United.
City have been beset by injury and illness problems so far this term, and are currently without Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus, meaning Guardiola could turn to 17-year-old striker Delap, who has already scored for in the Carabao Cup this season.
Tuesday's Champions League clash with Olympiacos at the Etihad Stadium, meanwhile, comes just 24 hours before a potential final, and with three of City’s youth team having been on the bench for the Group C clash with Marseille earlier this week - including Palmer who made his European debut - there is a chance they will again be forced to miss out on a shot at silverware.
To compound matters, highly-rated winger Jayden Braaf is a major doubt having only just returned to training following an injury which has seen him be ruled him out since the start of the season.
It is not just on the pitch where there will be new faces, either.
Spaniard Carlos Vicens will be in the dugout after taking over as manager from Gareth Taylor, who is the new City Women’s coach and will be at Wembley for the FA Cup final against Everton on Sunday.
Despite all that, there are still some potential stars of the future who will be on show when City take to the field:
James McAtee
City’s academy has brought through a number of exciting creative midfielders in recent times, and McAtee is following in the footsteps of homegrown No.10s Phil Foden and Palmer.
The 17-year-old has been one of the standout performers for the Under-23s so far this season after earning an opportunity due to there being so many youngsters who have moved up to be part of Guardiola’s first-team plans.
In the opening three games of the season he scored three goals and assisted a further two.
He also played as a false-nine against League Two outfit Scunthorpe United in the EFL Trophy, claiming two more assists in a 4-0 victory over senior opposition.
McAtee has been highly-regarded by coaches since he was picked up from the Manchester United academy and played a key role for the U18s side that won last season's Premier League Cup and was 12 points clear in the Northern section when the season was abandoned.
Luke Mbete-Tabu
A quick, strong centre-back, 17-year-old defender Mbete-Tabu has already drawn early comparisons with club legend Vincent Kompany.
The London-born defender joined City as an U12 from Brentford and has made steady progress through the academy structure.
He has shown his quality at a higher level, particularly in the way he stepped up against former West Ham striker Nicky Maynard in a 3-0 EFL Trophy win over League Two Mansfield Town in September.
Mbete-Tabu was called into the England U18s squad earlier this month and many are tipping him to go to the very top.
James Trafford
Cumbria seems to be a hotbed for English goalkeepers, with Manchester United’s Dean Henderson and former City and England U17 World Cup winner Curtis Anderson hailing from the county.
Eighteen-year-old Trafford is the next off the conveyor belt, and he often chats to Henderson for advice while also working regularly with first-team coach Xabier Mancisidor to learn the qualities of Brazilian No.1 Ederson.
It is working well so far, with Trafford a regular for England at U16s, U17s, U18s and now U19s.
He signed his first professional contract in July 2020 and was added to City’s Champions League squad in October.
CJ Egan-Riley
Born in Manchester, 17-year-old Egan-Riley has been with City since the age of 10 and has impressed at each age group at the Etihad Campus.
His calmness and intelligence on the ball has seen him switch between playing at full-back, in the centre of defence or as a deep-lying midfielder.
After one appearance for Ireland at U16 level, he switched back to playing for England and is another City player in Kevin Betsy’s U18s squad.
He is a vocal presence on and off the pitch which has earned him the captain’s armband for the club’s Elite Development Squad.
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