Newcastle vs. Man City: Why Pep Guardiola’s “temptation is too strong” to start 26-year-old star in EFL Cup tie

The temptation for Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola to start new signing Antoine Semenyo in Tuesday’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Newcastle United will be “too strong”, Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole.

Semenyo produced a man-of-the-match display on his debut to help Man City claim an emphatic 10-1 victory against Exeter City in the FA Cup third round last weekend, just a day after his £64m transfer from Bournemouth was confirmed.

The 26-year-old, who announced himself to the Etihad Stadium with a goal and an assist in the second half, is now in contention to retain his starting spot when the Citizens travel to St James’ Park to lock horns with EFL Cup holders Newcastle.

McInerney has backed Semenyo to start again on the left flank and has suggested why that could be at the expense of fellow winger Jeremy Doku, who may be forced to begin as a substitute.

“I think Semenyo will start,” he told Sports Mole. “I think the temptation is too strong. My controversial opinion with this is that everyone presumes he's going to start on the right and [Rayan] Cherki will be dropped and Doku comes in. I think Doku's way more at risk than people realise.

“I think Doku's probably going to be fine initially, but I would not be surprised if two months from now our starting wingers are Semenyo and Cherki.

Newcastle vs. Man City: Guardiola’s attacking dilemma discussed after Semenyo arrival

“My logic behind that is Doku is one of the best creators, he carries the ball so well up the pitch, in the Premier League he's brilliant, he's an elite-level creator, but I'd still say Cherki is a better creator than Doku. A very different type, but Cherki and Doku are essentially creators.

“Cherki scores more than Doku as well, and I know he doesn't play as an out-and-out winger, but I would say Cherki is more of a genius on the ball in terms of creativity and pure chance volume.

“As a goalscorer, Semenyo is better than both of them, and if you've got to choose a creator and a goalscorer, I’d choose Cherki and Semenyo personally. The precision and the simplicity of Semenyo's game could draw Guardiola to play him more on the left, because he's so good that way.”

McInerney added: “Don't get me wrong, we could easily just see Doku and Semenyo start on the [wings] with Cherki and Foden battling for one spot (in the middle behind Erling Haaland), but I don't think it's cut and dry. I think people are presuming Semenyo is going to play on the right. I think Doku's nowhere near as safe as people think.

“I think he's absolutely going to have to be a little bit more direct. Doku's brilliant, but he does a lot to do a little sometimes. That's not a criticism because he's got a busy style of play that's very effective, but he's not necessarily a high volume goal or assist player.

“He creates a lot of little half-chances and he carries the ball so well, [but] Semenyo carries the ball brilliantly. Semenyo's really good at progressing the ball and probably gets just as many assists and scores way more goals, vastly more goals. I don't think Doku's safe in this Man City side. I think Semenyo is probably going to start this.”

Despite this, McInerney would not be too surprised to see both Semenyo and Doku start on the flanks against Newcastle, with Phil Foden recalled to operate as a central attacking midfielder and Cherki reverting to the substitutes’ bench.

Semenyo vs. Doku vs. Cherki: Who starts for Man City against Newcastle?

“I can see Cherki sitting this one out, that's the only thing I would say, because it's Newcastle,” said McInerney. “Even though Cherki’s had that mercurial brilliance, as always, in the last couple of games, he's been a little bit sloppy on the ball and I think Guardiola will be tempted for the first time to rest Cherki and play Foden in the 10.

“Foden will be told to keep the ball alongside Rodri and/or Rodri and [Tijjani] Reijnders or [Nico] Gonzalez or Bernardo [Silva], and I think he'll play Semenyo on the right with Doku on the left, potentially.”

McInerney has also shared is thoughts on what to expect in Man City’s first-leg clash with Newcastle, who beat the Citizens 2-1 at St James’ Park in their last meeting in the Premier League two months ago.

“I don't think either side are capable of keeping it tight by the looks of it,” he said. “Given City's defensive woes right now, [Max] Alleyne and [Abdukodir] Khusanov have done really well, but this is Newcastle at St James' Park in the semi-final.

“There's no way that this is going to be a 0-0. I would take it of course, I think it'd be a really good result, but I just don't see it. It could be a bit of a classic. It could be an incredibly entertaining game and I'm expecting there to be loads of goals in this.

“I just don't want City to lose. If City don't lose this game, I think it's a good result. Tired players, a patchwork defence with loads of changes to the City side right now.

“Newcastle will be ferociously up for this and they've already given City loads of trouble this season, so I'm expecting this to be an incredibly difficult game. I'm expecting multiple goals from both sides. I'm going to go for 2-2.”

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