Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola just thinking about the next game and not titles

LONDON – It is still early in the season but Manchester City have already taken the English Premier League by storm.

They will be aiming for the same in the League Cup third round on Wednesday as they chase their quadruple dreams.

The treble winners – who were eliminated at the quarter-final stage of last season’s League Cup by Southampton – are the only team with a 100 per cent record in this Premier League campaign.

They clinched their sixth straight victory with a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest over the weekend, and have conceded the fewest number of goals (three) among all teams.

It is difficult to see any side capable of challenging City at the moment, but Newcastle United will try their best to stand in their way at St James’ Park on Wednesday.

City boss Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, has played down the high expectations on his side.

“It’s nice to have the ambition but ambition has to be the next game,” he said on Tuesday. “In May, if you’re still in the competitions, you can think about it (winning the treble or the quadruple). But thinking about it now in late September can be a mistake.

“All the players, what they want is to fight for the titles. The problem is the lack of rest, mentally especially. The players are happy to play and win the games, fighting for the titles. The problem is the lack of rest over years and years.”

City have won the League Cup in six of the last 10 seasons, claiming four straight victories between 2018 and 2021, so Guardiola and his players will know exactly how to win this competition.

They have already beaten Newcastle this season, winning 1-0 in the Premier League in August. That means City are now unbeaten in 10 matches – including eight victories – against the Magpies.

Erling Haaland is seeking to add to his eight goals in all competitions, although he could be rested to give more game time to Julian Alvarez – the Argentinian forward scored the goal in the August win at the Etihad.

Kevin de Bruyne remains a long-term injury absentee, while Bernardo Silva is a doubt and Rodri is suspended following his sending off against Forest.

Jack Grealish and Mateo Kovacic are likely to play limited minutes after coming back from injuries.

Newcastle will be high in confidence after thrashing Sheffield United 8-0 at Bramall Lane.

Eight different players scored in an EPL game for the first time, and it was also the Magpies’ biggest away win in the EPL era.

After losing three of their opening four games, Eddie Howe’s men will hope that they have turned the corner with a 1-0 win over Brentford and a hard-fought 0-0 Champions League draw at AC Milan before Sunday’s big victory.

The hosts reached the final of the League Cup last season before losing to United, and Howe will aim to go one better this time around, if they can get past probably the toughest test in the competition.

“It’s the draw that no one wants because they are the best club team in the world,” said Howe.

“But the test is there for us and we also want to attack it and show that we have strength in depth and compete on all fronts. 

“There is not one tournament that is more important than the other. I have told the players that. We want to compete in every competition.

“Our most important game is the next game and that is what we will do.

“We will focus our energies on that game and getting the best result we can.”

Newcastle have been rocked by the news that summer signing Harvey Barnes will be out for a lengthy spell after injuring his foot against the Blades, which may even require surgery.

The winger joins Joelinton, Joe Willock and Emil Krafth on the sidelines.