City will not sacrifice League Cup for EPL title race: Guardiola

Holders Manchester City will take today’s League Cup quarter-final with Leicester City seriously, says manager Pep Guardiola, even though they are in a tight duel with Liverpool for the Premier League title.Guardiola — whose Premier League champions trail Liverpool by a point — says it is only by winning trophies the club can get better, even if the League Cup is viewed as the third most important domestic trophy in English football.The 47-year-old Spaniard concedes Liverpool may benefit from no longer being involved in the League Cup — their next match is against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday — and if City progress they will face a two-legged semi-final in January.“We could say yes,” said Guardiola, answering a question at his press conference over whether Liverpool had an advantage in having a lighter fixture list.“But I’d prefer to be in the League Cup than not. I cannot imagine going into a game thinking, ‘Oh, it will be better to lose because then we’ll have more time to rest’. I have never thought in that way. “That is the only way a club like Manchester City — who 10 years ago were not in this position — can grow up, and get better and better. And that’s what we have to do.”Guardiola said that those players who had played on Saturday in the 3-1 win over Everton would probably have to shoulder the responsibility of backing up against Leicester due to a growing injury list. Belgian star Kevin de Bruyne returned against Everton and should play again whilst record goalscorer Argentinian Sergio Aguero could start after a four week absence through injury.“We don’t have many players,” said Guardiola.“We have a lot of injured players. Some players that played Saturday and in the last games have to play. “But it is a chance to reach a semi-final and since I’ve been here my teams have never dropped one game, not even a friendly game. “It is a competition, it must be respected, like we did it last season. We are going to try and win the game.”