MANCHESTER CITY are deeply unhappy at the scheduling of next week’s Checktrade Trophy quarter-final with Sunderland, claiming the Football League have handed their opponents a huge advantage.

City’s Under-21s will travel to the Stadium of Light next Tuesday as they to close within one game of a possible appearance at Wembley.

The game will take place 24 hours before Manchester City’s senior team take on Burton Albion in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.

City won the first leg 9-0 at the Etihad, and Pep Guardiola had been intending to field a host of his club’s younger players in what is now effectively a dead rubber.

However, Guardiola will now have to spread his youth side over the two matches, attempting to field a strong enough side to beat Sunderland while at the same time resting a number of his senior players in the game against Burton.

Manchester City are understood to have offered a couple of alternative dates for the game, but these were rejected by the EFL and Sunderland.

The rules of this season’s Checkatrade Trophy have already been tweaked once to accommodate City, with the club’s Under-21 side having been given permission to play all of their matches away from home.

The Northern Echo:

The EFL are pleased that City agreed to field an Under-21 side in the Checkatrade Trophy, but a number of clubs in Leagues One and Two are known to be unhappy at the preferential treatment dished out to the reigning Premier League champions.

An EFL statement said: “The scheduling of Manchester City’s visit to Sunderland in the Checkatrade Trophy has been dated for Tuesday 22nd January. This decision was made after full consideration of the representations of both clubs, along with enquiries of our own.

“With no mutual agreement between the clubs, the decision fell to the Executive of the EFL. There is a significant amount of sympathy with the position outlined by Manchester City and the fact that the dating of this game could remove one opportunity for the club’s younger players to play in a first-team competitive game with the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg the day after.

“The EFL is committed to delivering valuable playing opportunities for young players and would have assisted, if it had been practically possible but the alternative dates all had issues with them.

“The EFL is grateful for the support of both clubs towards the Checkatrade Trophy and Pep Guardiola’s backing of the Carabao Cup.”