Pep Guardiola: 'EFL Cup wastes energy'

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has appeared to criticise the EFL Cup by saying that playing in the competition 'wastes a lot of energy'.

The Citizens, who have won the cup twice in the last four seasons, began their participation in this year's contest with a 2-1 win away at West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday night.

The victory represented City's fifth win on the bounce in all competitions but came among a busy run of fixtures that will see them take on Crystal Palace, Shakhtar Donetsk and Chelsea before the month is out.

Guardiola's Manchester United counterpart Jose Mourinho suggested earlier this week that English teams might stand a better chance in Europe if the EFL Cup was axed altogether and, speaking to reporters this afternoon, the City boss admitted that he has a "quite similar" view.

"You waste a lot of energy," he explained. "Three days later Palace, then Shakhtar, then Chelsea. It is a lot of energy. We knew it before we came. If you have to play, you have to play.

"Business is business. It's good for people who don't get used a lot, but it's a title when if you win. It's okay but you don't get a lot of credit for it."

City's reward for seeing off the Baggies is a home encounter with another Black Country side, Wolverhampton Wanderers, in the fourth round next month.