Arsenal EFL Cup final boost? Man City WILL play reserve Bravo at Wembley

PEP GUARDIOLA has confirmed that his No 2 goalkeeper Claudio Bravo will play in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Arsenal.

And the Chile international will use Manchester City’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at Wigan tonight (Mon) as a warm-up for the Wembley showdown – the first part of City’s bid for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies.

Guardiola confirmed that while £35m summer buy Ederson Moraes remains his first choice, Bravo is his keeper for the domestic cup competitions and is keen to reward him for his part in their progress to the Carabao Cup final.

He was the hero with vital saves in the shoot-out wins over Wolves and Leicester. He also started in the two earlier FA Cup rounds against Burnley and Cardiff.

Former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini played No2 keeper Costel Pantilimon in all the rounds of the FA Cup in 2012-13 season – but then dropped the Romanian on the morning of the final in favour of No1 Joe Hart.

Guardiola will not do the same with Bravo, who could end up playing in two Wembley finals this season despite being a No 2.

He said: “We are in the Carabao Cup final thanks to him so he is going to play. I cannot forget what happened here against Wolves, and the saves he made in the penalty shoot-outs.

“All the top clubs need two good goalkeepers. You cannot survive with just one goalkeeper. He might be injured or suspended and you need the other one to be at the right level.”

Guardiola praised the former Barcelona player’s professional attitude since he brought in Ederson as his No 1 last summer.

He added: “It’s been perfect. I know it’s not an easy situation for all the players who don’t play regularly – not just Claudio. They are here to play, I understand that completely.

“But there is a line [of behaviour] where you cannot go through and he’s been perfect. He’s training good, as always, and he knows in football that situations change from one day to the other and he has to be ready, like the other players.”

Bravo is used to being rotated. At Barcelona he played in La Liga games while Andre Ter Stegen played in the Champions League.

Source: www.express.co.uk