Man City vs. Newcastle: Why Marc Guehi will miss EFL Cup semi-final second leg as Pep Guardiola suffers blow

Manchester City will have to cope without January signing Marc Guehi for Wednesday’s EFL Cup semi-final second leg against Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium.

The Citizens fended off competition from Liverpool to sign the 25-year-old defender for a cut-price £20m from Crystal Palace.

Guehi has since started twice for Pep Guardiola’s side in the Premier League, keeping a clean sheet on his debut in a 2-0 home win over Wolves before playing the full 90 minutes again in a 2-2 draw with Tottenham in North London on Sunday.

Man City stepped up their pursuit of the England international in the winter window at a time when defensive trio John Stones, Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias are all sidelined with injuries, although the latter has now returned to first-team training.

Guehi is set to feature regularly at centre-back for Man City in the coming weeks and months, but he cannot play for Guardiola’s side against Newcastle.

Guehi ineligible for EFL Cup semi-final second leg... and final (if City progress)

The 2025-26 season represents the first time that players have been allowed to play for more than one team in both the FA Cup and EFL Cup if they move clubs during the transfer window.

Man City benefitted from this rule change three weeks ago when January signing Antoine Semenyo scored the opening goal in their 2-0 victory over Newcastle in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final tie at St James’ Park.

Magpies boss Eddie Howe bemoaned the rule change that allowed City’s £64m signing to play, as well as former Watford loanee Max Alleyne, but he will be pleased to discover that the Citizens other new recruit, Guehi, is ineligible for the second leg.

As quoted by the Shields Gazette, EFL rules state that “A Registered Player shall be permitted to play for up to two clubs in the competition in any one season where such player moved to a different club on a permanent transfer prior to the closure of the Winter Transfer Window, or the first leg of the semi-final (whichever is sooner).”

Man City confirmed Guehi’s arrival on January 19, six days after they beat Newcastle in the first leg, meaning the defender will miss the second leg and is also ineligible to play in the final against Arsenal or Chelsea, if Guardiola’s side make it to Wembley.

Alleyne or Ake to replace Guehi in Man City’s defence?

In the absence of Guehi, Guardiola will weigh up whether to start Alleyne or Nathan Ake at centre-back alongside Abdukodir Khusanov.

Alleyne played the full 90 minutes in the first leg against Newcastle and helped City keep a clean sheet, but he has not featured in defence since making a couple of mistakes on his Champions League debut in a 3-1 away defeat to Bodo/Glimt a fortnight ago.

As mentioned previously, Dias is back in training after recovering from a hamstring injury suffered at the beginning of January, but the Portugal international is not expected to make his comeback on Wednesday, so one of Alleyne or Ake is set to start alongside Khusanov.

Elsewhere, Man City will be able to include Sverre Nypan in their matchday squad following his deadline-day return from a loan at Middlesbrough, and he is eligible to play because he did not feature in the EFL Cup during his time with the Championship club.

The 19-year-old midfielder could therefore make his Man City debut on Wednesday as he is yet to play under Guardiola since his £12.5m arrival from Rosenberg last summer, though an appearance against Newcastle is considered unlikely.