WATCH OUT FOR PEP’S PUPS... I HAVE A SECOND WAVE OF YOUNG STARS COMING SAYS CITY BOSS

PEP GUARDIOLA believes he has a second generation of gold-standard talent emerging from Manchester City’s ty s academy.

City’s Under-18s go head to head with Chelsea for the FA Youth Cup at St George’s Park tonight – the fifth time in six seasons they have reached the h final.

And they will go into the game with Guardiola admitting there is a real buzz at the club about the current crop being nurtured by Spanish coach Carlos Vicens. “When we arrived we had Jadon SSancho, Brahim Diaz and Phil Foden,” sasaid Guardiola. “Now there is a new generation. When we speak wwith the academy ppeople we say this is a ggood generation. “Taylor (HarwoodBellis), Tommy Doyle, Cole (Palmer), Felix Nmecha, Jayden Braaf, Liam Delap (right) – there are six, seven interesting players. James McAtee, too.”

McAtee (left) is knocking on the door of the first-team dressing room after being one of the star performers for the U-23s.

But several academy stars are already training regularly with Guardiola’s senior squad including Doyle, l Harwood-Bellis and Palmer who, out of all of them, could be the next breakthrough stars. “We trust them a lot and as the club we want to help them develop,” added Guardiola (right). “Maybe they can help in the futufuture. Good luck to them, the we will watch to seC see if they can beat Chelsea.” Chelsea saw off Manchester United’s bright young y things in the semi-final sem and the StStamfordf Bridge set-up have an enviable record in the competition, having lifted the trophy in seven of the last 10 seasons.