A host of Manchester City players have an opportunity to impress against Swansea | OneFootball

Manchester City take on Swansea tonight at the Swansea.com Stadium in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. Pep Guardiola and his team will be hoping to pick up a win tonight to book their place in the next round of the competition. While the result and performance from Pep Guardiola’s side are important tonight, the match is also an opportunity for a host of Manchester City players to get meaningful minutes into their legs. There is also the chance for players on the periphery of the City squad to stake their claim for more minutes in the matches that lie ahead.

Several Manchester City players who have been out with injury should start against Swansea.

Players such as Omar Marmoush, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Abdukodir Khusanov and Mateo Kovacic have all missed significant time this season due to injury. Each player is back fit and has appeared off the bench in Manchester City’s recent matches. One player of the five listed who hasn’t featured of late is Rayan Ait-Nouri. But the Algerian international has trained over recent weeks. Tonight’s match could be the ideal setting for him to start and get the minutes into his legs that he needs. The same can be said for Abdukodir Khusanov. He has returned from injury, and the young defender will likely play some minutes against Swansea.

Rayan Cherki, Omar Marmoush and Mateo Kovacic have all returned from injury recently. Each player has been used off the bench in their team’s recent games. The trio need minutes to get up to speed with their fitness and touch. Tonight’s match looms as the ideal setting for them to do so. If Cherki, Marmoush and Kovacic can play tonight and play well, they’ll give Pep Guardiola plenty to think about for games ahead.

James Trafford has an opportunity to impress tonight.

Another Manchester City player who will be eager to seize the opportunity on offer tonight is James Trafford. Trafford started in goal in Manchester City’s first two games of the Premier League season. He also started City’s 2-nil win over Huddersfield Town in the third round of the Carabao Cup. Trafford has been unlucky to lose his position in goal to Gianluigi Donnarumma. He has an opportunity to remind everyone of his quality tonight. If James Trafford can put in a good performance in goal, he will put pressure on Gianluigi Donnarumma to maintain his strong form. That’s all the Trafford can do when the chance to start a game arrives which is what lies ahead of him tonight.

Tonight’s match is an important one for Manchester City. They will be hoping to beat Swansea at the Swansea.com Stadium. Tonight’s game is also a chance for several players to impress and get minutes into their legs. The hope is that they seize the opportunity in front of them to stake their claim for a bigger role in Pep Guardiola’s squad.