KEY ISSUES FOR BLUES

■ TIME TO PRIORITISE

PEP Guardiola has been asked about whether he should be prioritising competitions for months, and for months he has been reacting as if he has been publicly hurt by the suggestion.

It is true that City have put out formidably strong sides in the domestic competitions and, as a result, have won three of the last four available to them. Phil Foden was the only player named in last season’s FA Cup third-round tie with Rotherham that wasn’t an experienced first team player.

But Guardiola has prioritised before. Nine of the XI starters that lost a League Cup match to United have since left the club, while a host of stars were rested again for the home league match with their nearest rivals the following season as it fell between the Champions League quarter-final with Liverpool.

With the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final with United on Tuesday – a team that won their last meeting and a competition that represents their best chance of silverware this season – the manager must weigh up how his selection against Port Vale should fit into the rest of the month and campaign.

■ DEFENCE TRIAL

CITY were undone against United on the counter-attack but a recent tactical shift with three in defence has improved the balance of the side.

Guardiola lamented the lack of time on the training pitch available to fine-tune the system. A game against League Two opposition can provide a useful exercise for people to learn together, but the coach must decide how many of the personnel can play twice in four days.

■ YOUNGSTERS IN CONTENTION

ERIC Garcia and Phil Foden are part of the first team furniture now, but which other youngsters could feature in this one? Central midfielder Tommy Doyle impressed on debut, Taylor Harwood-Bellis is another prospect at centreback and full-back Alpha Dionkou has made a few matchday squads.