Since Pep Guardiola took over at Manchester City, the manager has never turned away from playing full strength teams in cup competitions - matches that other top clubs use as an opportunity to rotate their squads.
To Pep Guardiola, every competition, and the trophy that awaits at the end of it, should be taken seriously.
The Etihad club have the opportunity this season to win their fifth successive Carabao Cup title, and with it, become the most successful club in the competition's history with nine titles to their name.
Manchester City star Phil Foden has opened up this week about the task at hand, and the glory that could accompany another trophy.
“To win it for a fifth time would be incredible but there is a long way to go and we are not looking that far ahead,” Phil Foden told the EFL.
He continued, “We’re always looking to be the best that we can be and the longer we keep winning the more you get used to it."
For Phil Foden, and the rest of the Manchester City squad, winning cup competitions is a habit that a player must get comfortable with, and all of the top professionals will want to win no matter the competition.
“Playing in Cup Finals is a really important experience and the more you do it, the more you know what to expect and how to find a way to win the game. Hopefully, we can do that again this season, but we’ll take each game as it comes."
“It’s really special winning a medal. In the first couple of seasons, I was a little less involved and it’s just nice to be part of the group being successful."
"You work hard in training, push everyone on and you feel like you’ve played a role. But nothing compares to playing and starting in those games."
The Blues will look to secure their fifth Carabao Cup title in as many years, as they begin their latest campaign in the competition this Tuesday night, with League One side Wycombe Wanderers travelling to the Etihad Stadium to face off against Foden and his teammates.
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