Pep Guardiola has called the League Cup “a waste of energy” as the Manchester City manager joined old rival Jose Mourinho in questioning the worth of the competition.
The League Cup was created in 1960 to take advantage of the fact that floodlights had increased the possibility for midweek football.
However, the tournament has always been seen as secondary to the FA Cup in England, and its importance has gradually diminished over the last two decades as the top sides started to rest their key players until the latter stages.
In an attempt to keep the bigger clubs interested, the Football League has allowed English teams playing in European competition to be exempt until the third round since 1996, while replays were scrapped in 1997.
Yet Manchester United manager Mourinho suggested on Wednesday that English clubs in the Champions League and Europa League should be allowed to opt out of the tournament.
Guardiola has supported those comments as City bid to navigate a frantic run of games.
The City manager made eight changes for Wednesday’s 2-1 win at West Bromwich Albion in the League Cup third round, allowing him to keep players fresh before Saturday’s Premier League home game against Crystal Palace.
City host Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday before travelling to Chelsea for a league game the following Saturday.
Mourinho guided United to win the competition last season, but Guardiola does not believe it was worth the effort.
‘It’s good for the players you don’t use a lot’
The Spaniard has suggested that it was victory in the Europa League, rather than the domestic cup, that made Mourinho’s first season at Old Trafford a success.
“We have a lot of games. If you have to play in a competition you have to play in it,” Guardiola said on Friday.
“It’s good for the players you don’t use a lot. It’s a prize where, when you win, it’s OK, but after that the people don’t give too much credit.
“I think the prize is good when you win another one. But you waste a lot of energy.
“You can imagine going against a Tony Pulis team (West Brom) and playing 90 minutes in those conditions, then you spend three or four hours on the bus.
“Then three days later, it’s Crystal Palace, three days later, Shakhtar Donetsk, three or four days later, Stamford Bridge.
“So for the managers, there’s a lot of wasted energy. But we knew that before, so it’s not a complaint in those terms. If we have to play, we have to play.”
City and United go into the weekend joint-top of the Premier League, each with 13 points from five matches and an identical goals record.
Mourinho showers praise on ‘happy’ Martial
Jose Mourinho praised French winger Anthony Martial on Friday for his improved attitude and on-field performances in Manchester United’s strong start to the season.
The 21-year-old struggled to convince Mourinho during his first season in charge at Old Trafford but he has convincingly played his way back into the manager’s plans this term.
The Frenchman has scored four goals already – half of the total he claimed over the whole of last season – including a goal and man-of-the-match performance in the midweek League Cup victory over Championship side Burton Albion.
And Mourinho believes a major reason for the improvement has been Martial’s new attitude and approach to life at Old Trafford.
“I see a great improvement in the person, in the mood, in the face, in the body language,” he said at United’s Carrington training base. “If you just want one word – ‘happiness’. He’s a happy guy, he’s working extremely well. He starts matches, he tries to do well. He goes from the bench, even if it’s only for 10 minutes like in the last match at home, he tries to enjoy it and give something in his extra minutes. I’m very pleased with his attitude overall. Then it’s just easier to play well.”
Mourinho, whose side is joint top of the Premier League with Manchester City, also says he still has no idea when injured midfielder Paul Pogba will return to his line-up after a hamstring injury suffered in the Champions League win over Basel.
The United manager says he has not even asked medical staff when he will have Pogba back in contention, while some reports have suggested he may be out for 12 weeks.
“I have no idea,” said Mourinho. “But again it is a great opportunity for other players to play and I trust them all. So I’m not going to cry or be counting the days for Paul to be back. Not at all. When he’s back, he’ll come. Until then, I trust my people.”