Pep Guardiola Claims Man City Have Just 13 Senior Players Available for Leicester Match

Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City will have just 13 senior players fit and available to face Leicester on Sunday, also indicating that promising youngsters such as Liam Delap could help fill the void as his regulars return to fitness.

City opened their Premier League account with a win against Wolves last weekend, but the lack of depth available was clear. Guardiola used just one substitute - 20-year-old Ferran Torres - while his bench featured several academy talents.

With Aymeric Laporte and Sergio Agúero among an extensive injury list, the team that faced Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup on Thursday featured six academy graduates, and had an average age of just 21. That focus on youth will likely be carried into Sunday, when City take on Leicester at the Etihad.

"Well, the situation we have right now, we have just 13 players available in the first team," Guardiola told reporters following the Bournemouth win.

"We need the academy, not just for the training sessions. They can be selected during the games."

Among the stars of the Bournemouth victory was 17-year-old Delap, the son of former Stoke City throw-in merchant Rory. The striker caught the eye with a robust performance, scoring the opener with a fine finish that helped his team onto a 2-1 win.

He was on the bench to face Wolves last weekend, and Guardiola says will continue to play second fiddle to Gabriel Jesus while Agúero remains out. He stressed, however, that the teenage striker should not expect too much too soon.

"With the problems we have up front, of course Liam will stay with us. We'll see if we need him or use him," Guardiola went on.

"But we cannot forget, like the same way we spoke about Phil Foden in previous seasons, he's just 17 years old. He has a lot of things to improve, steps need their own time."