Man City boss bemoans James McAtee, Tommy Doyle absence for Sheffield United FA Cup semi

Pep Guardiola has indicated that Manchester City would have given permission for Sheffield United loan stars James McAtee and Tommy Doyle to face their parent club in tomorrow’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, if FA rules permitted.

The City pair have been huge successes at Bramall Lane this season, helping the Blades to reach Wembley and the brink of automatic promotion to the Premier League.

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For Doyle, being forced to watch the semi-final from the Wembley stands will be particularly bittersweet considering it was his long-range screamer late in the quarter-final win over Blackburn Rovers that sent United to this stage.

Despite boss Paul Heckingbottom initially raising hopes that permission may be granted for the pair to play at Wembley, by promising to have a “conversation” with City, FA rules prohibit loan players facing their parent clubs in the competition.

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To add to United’s frustration, the rules are different in Europe and Joao Cancelo, the City defender on loan at Bayern Munich, featured against his parent club in both legs of their Champions League clash recently.

“The Championship is a good test to prove yourself,” Guardiola said. “We’re incredibly delighted for them but unfortunately they cannot play. We would’ve loved that.

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“We loan players to get experience, and what better experience would there be than to play a Premier League team in the FA Cup semi-finals for their development? Unfortunately, the rule is the rule and they cannot play.”

Guardiola has lost four of his previous five FA Cup semi-finals and has warned his side to expect a tough test against the Blades. “They are one or two games away from being promoted to the Premier League. That’s already done,” the Spaniard added.

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“It will be an extremely difficult game for the quality they have. They are really good at set-pieces, really good in the build-up and linking in the channels. They’re so aggressive in the duels.

“We have to be there, absolutely, to deserve to be in the final.”

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