John Stones names the quality in Man City squad that is boosting trophy hunt

straight to your inboxBarcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has claimed that Lionel Messi wants to stay at the Nou Camp.Messi rocked the footballing world in the summer when he announced he wanted to leave Barcelona due to complaints over how the club was run, with Manchester City being inserted as the immediate favourites to sign him.After weeks of wild speculation, the six-time Ballon d'Or winner eventually revealed he would be staying at Barca after all, in order to avoid a court

straight to your inboxBarcelona have been dealt a potentially fatal blow in their bid to sign Manchester City defender Eric Garcia this month.Garcia has been strongly linked with a move back to Barcelona having come through the club's La Masia academy before making the move to City in 2017.

direct to your inboxThe date and kick-off times for the FA Cup forth round have been confirmed.Manchester United will welcome fierce rivals Liverpool to Old Trafford on Sunday, January 24, with kick-off coming at 5pm. It will be shown live on BBC One.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola was able to rest some of Manchester City's key players against Birmingham, and his second half substitutions could indicate who is in line to start against Brighton on Wednesday.Raheem Sterling, Ilkay Gundogan and Oleks Zinchenko were rested completely, while Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne all played 45 minutes in City's straightforward FA Cup win at the weekend.

direct to your inboxManchester City have joined Manchester United in the draw for the fourth round of the FA Cup.United edged past Watford 1-0 at Old Trafford in their third round tie on Saturday evening, courtesy of a Scott McTominay header.On Sunday, City comfortably progressed, thanks to a 3-0 victory over Birmingham City at the Etihad Stadium.Bernardo Silva set Pep Guardiola's men on their way with two goals in the opening 15 minutes, then Phil Foden added a third before half-time.With the

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola wants Manchester City to give Scott Carson a new deal at the club after hailing the goalkeeper's impact at the club.Carson, 35, is into his second season-long loan for the Blues from Derby County but has not played a game for them in his role as third keeper.He is currently self-isolating after becoming the latest first-team player to test positive for Covid-19, meaning he will not be part of the matchday squad for the FA Cup game with Birmingham on

straight to your inboxHard work is the key to Manchester City's newest defensive partnership, John Stones says.Stones has struck up a surprising partnership with summer signing Ruben Dias, establishing himself as first choice in Pep Guardiola's defence ahead of Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Ake and Fernandinho. The pair were superb in City's Carabao Cup semi-final win at Manchester United on Wednesday, with Stones scoring the first goal in a 2-0 win and Dias earning the Man of the Match award.

direct to your inboxManchester City have secured their annual spot in the Carabao Cup final, after beating Manchester United 2-0 at Old Trafford.City, in search of their fourth consecutive trophy in the competition, earned bragging rights after second half goals from John Stones and Fernandinho. Meanwhile for United, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in particular, it represents a fourth semi-final defeat under the Norwegian, reigniting the pressure that had been quelled in recent weeks.

straight to your inboxPep Guardiola asked his Manchester City side for the same level of intensity in the second half of their Carabao Cup semi-final win over Manchester United to book their place in a fourth successive final.City and United had exchanged blows in the opening 45 minutes, with both sides having goals ruled out for offside and both goalkeepers making superb saves.

straight to your inboxRoy Keane has praised Man City's desire and hunger against Manchester United.City ran out 2-0 winners against their rivals at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup semi-final, setting up a final against Spurs at Wembley in April as they attempt to equal Liverpool's long-held record of winning the competition four seasons in a row.It was an impressive performance by Pep Guardiola's side against a United side that went into the game in good form themselves, with goals from John

straight to your inboxGary Neville and Gary Lineker were among those to heap praise upon John Stones after he opened the scoring for Manchester City in the Carabao Cup semi-final against Manchester United.City sealed a spot against Tottenham in April's final at Wembley as they aim for a fourth-consecutive campaign lifting the trophy, and took the lead through Stomnes early in the second half at Old Trafford.

direct to your inboxManchester United and Manchester City are locking horns in a Carabao Cup semi-final tonight.City, winners of the competition in each of the last three seasons, tackle a United side looking to lift the competition for the first time since 2017. With the country having entered a third lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, Old Trafford will once again be without fans but it remains a fiercely-anticipated clash.

straight to your inboxManchester City have announced that Scott Carson and Cole Palmer, as well another member of staff, have tested positive for cornavirus.

straight to your inbox every day for freeMatic back?Nemanja Matic's renaissance last year started with his half-time introduction in the semi-final first leg against City. Matic plugged the gaps, scored the winner in the second leg and performed in the Old Trafford league triumph in March.The 32-year-old neutered Wolves winger Adama Traore and was an upgrade on a sloppy Scott McTominay against Aston Villa.

straight to your inboxBarcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta is confident Lionel Messi will remain at the club beyond next summer despite interest from Manchester City.Messi dropped a bombshell in the summer by revealing he was seriously unhappy at the club, submitting a transfer request in the hope the club would allow him to leave for nothing.Barcelona insisted the release clause that would see Messi depart on a free had expired and the Argentine opted against fighting his current

direct to your inboxThe date and kick-off details for Manchester United and Manchester City's Carabao Cup semi-final have been confirmed. The match will come after a hectic festive fixture schedule for both clubs and be played on January 6 at Old Trafford, with kick-off at 7:45pm.

direct to your inboxManchester United will host Manchester City in one of the Carabao Cup semi-finals in a repeat of last year's last-four tie. Earlier this year City won 3-2 on aggregate after the Blues won 3-1 at Old Trafford and United won the reverse fixture 1-0.

straight to your inboxJamie Carragher named John Stones as his 'player to watch' in 2021 after the defender's recent renaissance with Manchester City.The England defender looked destined to leave the club in the summer after falling out of favour with Pep Guardiola and barely featuring at the end of the 2019/20 campaign.