Manchester City

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Manchester City's Under-18 coach Ben Wilkinson knows he has a next to impossible task in trying to guide his FA Youth Cup final side into Pep Guardiola's first-team squad.

While Phil Foden is the clear aspirational example for City's kids, who face Leeds at the Etihad Stadium, the knowledge Jadon Sancho and Brahim Diaz will meet in the Champions League final next month after failing to make it with the Blues underlines how hard it is.

Wilkinson tries to get the message home. It is one of the reasons why he is so pleased when he sees former City youngsters plying their trade professionally elsewhere.

"For a player to get through here, you nearly have to be the best in the world in your position," he said.

"That is everyone’s dream but we also have to be realistic. We are probably not going to produce five, six, seven at one time like you may have in years gone by.

"What we have to strive to do is develop players for elite first-team football. We have done quite well at that recently. Our academy has offered a successful pathway for young players to go and play in the Premier League and the Champions League.

"Even Phil (Foden) with all his talent had to wait.

"I would say it took him five years before he could class himself as a regular. That is because he had the world’s best in his position.

"It is getting the balance right for when they need to stay and have that patience and when they need to go to test the water and establish themselves as a first-team player."

Manchester City have been successful in three previous FA Youth Cup finals. They'll go for a fourth tonight against Leeds at the Etihad Stadium.

But they have also finished runners-up on eight occasions - a competition record.

For three years in a row they faced Chelsea in the mid-2010s.

Two players who played in the 2015-16 final losing 4-2 were Lukas Nmecha and Joel Latibeaudiere.

"There were a lot of good players in that team," Nmecha told the Manchester City website.

“We did really well. Chelsea, at that age, were still a bit more physically developed, a bit stronger a bit faster here and there. We did really well to get to the final, but in the final they were just better to be fair."

He's not wrong. City had Brahim Diaz - now at Real Madrid - and Jadon Sancho - who has just reached a Champions League final with Dortmund - in their ranks.

Nmecha himself is now playing Wolfsburg.

“We were so used to winning a lot of games in the North Division and we felt really confident... but it is quite crazy how as good as everyone is at that level there is still a big difference between some players."

Latibeaudiere missed the final with injury but played in the previous rounds.

“I remember that one because I got injured. I think if I’d played that game, we’d have won that 100 percent," he said.

“It was great and we were having a great season. I think we just fell short because we had a few injuries and a few people had to play out of position."

Latibeaudiere - a recent FA Cup semi-finalist with Coventry - believes the City coaches played a huge role. On Friday it'll be Ben Wilkinson in charge, while in 2016 it was Lee Carsley.

"Lee Carsley’s one of the best coaches I’ve worked under in terms of man-to-man managing and on the pitch stuff as well," Latibeaudiere added.

And so to advice for the final?

"Just enjoy it. Enjoy the pressure. Enjoy the big moment," he added.

“Don’t overthink it, you’ve got there for a reason so keep doing what you’re doing. Just go and enjoy the moment.”

The game is live on BBC Radio Manchester's 95.1FM and via the BBC Sport website and app from 19:00BST.

Manchester City and Brazil defender Yan Couto, 21, who is currently on loan at Girona, is attracting interest from Bayern Leverkusen, Juventus and a number of Premier League clubs for a summer transfer. (Talksport), external

Meanwhile, City have agreed a deal to sign 14-year-old American midfielder Cavan Sullivan, who has joined Major League Soccer side Philadelphia Union, after he turns 18. (ESPN), external

Want more transfer news? Read Friday's full gossip column

2008: Kieran Trippier, Ben Mee, Daniel Sturridge.

2020: Cole Palmer, Tommy Doyle, Oscar Bobb.

The FA Youth Cup can showcase the best young talent in the country and can give the chance for commentators to shout: "Remember the name..."

Manchester City, facing Leeds in the final on Friday, are looking to win it for a fourth time - that or extending their tag of being the team to finish runners-up on the most occasions.

But those who have been there, and will be there, want the class of 2024 to live up to the moment.

Ben Mee, who captained the side in 2008, told BBC Radio Manchester: "It was the first time I got a feel of how it would be to be a professional footballer, how it would be in the first team, going to hotels."

Ben Wilkinson will coach the side at the Etihad Stadium.

"These opportunities don't come around too often," he said.

"What we're trying to do is give our players the best development games and trying to put them in an environment that mirrors the first team as much as we can."

Some 20,000 people are expected at the home of Manchester City.

"It's a very different feel to that of our training ground with a couple of hundred people there," Wilkinson added.

"It gives you that bit of hunger of: ‘I want this every week’," continued Mee.

And if they get it right they join the classes of 1986, 2008 and 2020.

Wilkinson said: "The message is that this is one of the first chances to show the world how good you are, especially in the world we live in now and the pressure on young players, so seeing how they stand up in that moment is a really interesting piece."

Mee agrees: "It's the experience that you can play in big games and perform.

"I was captain of the team and managed to score an equaliser in the final. Those are the moments you play football for.

"It gave me that hunger to go on and improve. It got us known to the first team as well a little bit. I went on a tour with the first team straight after that and then would train in and around them the next year.

"It brought us to the attention of the manager of the time. A little bit acknowledgement, a little bit of coverage, my profile rose a little bit more."

Manchester City's academy is the strongest it's ever been according to Wilkinson who uses various markers. The first is those breaking into the City first team - the likes of Phil Foden and Rico Lewis.

The second marker goes further afield.

"How many players have we got playing in the top five leagues?" Wilkinson asked noting that in this day and age it's unlikely six or seven academy graduates will play together in the City first team.

"I was watching Jeremy Frimpong in the Europa League for Leverkusen. He spent his whole journey here and that's the best way of assessing how we're getting on."

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Manchester City are prepared to listen to offers for two of their players this summer in Yan Couto and Issa Kabore.

The pair moved to the blues in 2020 from Coritiba and Mechelen respectively but neither has made a first team appearance.

Couto has been on loan for the last two seasons in La Liga for Girona - a sister-club of City in the City Football Group - and has the second-most assists within the squad this campaign from right back. He has also made his Brazil national team debut this year.

The defender is well liked at Manchester City but is likely to want first-team assurances - something that may not come soon enough at the Etihad Stadium.

Premier League clubs are expected to show interest, as are Serie A teams and possibly Bayer Leverkusen should Jeremy Frimpong (a City academy graduate) depart.

It's expected he could fetch a fee for near £40m which would be similar to Pedro Porro, who departed for Sporting Lisbon for Spurs having previously been at Manchester City.

Midfielder Issa Kabore has spent the season only loan at Luton with 24 appearances and is thought to be in a similar position.

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Nominees for the Premier League's manager of the season have been revealed:

• Mikel Arteta - Arsenal

• Pep Guardiola - Manchester City

• Jurgen Klopp - Liverpool

• Unai Emery - Aston Villa

• Andoni Iraola - Bournemouth

Voting is open now on the official Premier League website, external with the winner to be announced on Tuesday, 21 May.

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The Premier League have released their nominees for the young player of the season and fans can vote for their favourite on the official website, external.

Here is the list of eight players:

• Bukayo Saka - Arsenal

• William Saliba - Arsenal

• Erling Haaland - Manchester City

• Phil Foden - Manchester City

• Destiny Udogie - Tottenham

• Alexander Isak - Newcastle

• Kobbie Mainoo - Manchester United

• Cole Palmer - Chelsea

The winner will be announced on Saturday, 18 May.

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The eight-man shortlist for player of the season has been released and supporters can vote on the Premier League website, external.

Here are those in the running:

• Declan Rice - Arsenal

• Martin Odegaard - Arsenal

• Phil Foden - Manchester City

• Erling Haaland - Manchester City

• Virgil van Dijk - Liverpool

• Ollie Watkins - Aston Villa

• Alexander Isak - Newcastle

• Cole Palmer - Chelsea

The winner will be revealed on Saturday, 18 May.

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On the latest episode of BBC Radio Manchester's We're Not Really Here podcast, Mike Minay and Natalie Pike are joined by comedian Charlie Lewis to look back at Wolves, ahead to Fulham, the WSL title race and talk to Andy's Man Club with their new partnership with Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola's side know victory at Craven Cottage on Saturday lunchtime, at Tottenham next Thursday, and at home to West Ham on the final day would guarantee an unprecedented fourth Premier League title in a row.

On the trip to West London, Lewis said: "12:30 kick-offs never make the best games, let's be honest.

"I think it'll be fine though. I'm expecting a comfortable game. If we turn up and do what we know we can, it should be OK."

Pike responded: "It's not going to be a difficult game - Fulham are on the beach.

"If it's a difficult game then, that's our fault. I'm not worried about it. Not in an arrogant way but we're on the march now.

"Third game before the end of the Premier League season, knowing we have to win it... we go there and win. That's what we do. Then I'll start to worry about Tottenham."

Minay added: "Teams do raise their game against City though don't they? But, City had to go to Fulham in a crucial game last year and won 2-1. When it's important, we step up."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Here are the key facts and figures before Saturday's game between Fulham and Manchester City in the Premier League.

• Fulham have won just one of their 15 Premier League home games against Manchester City, beating them 2-1 in November 2005 under Chris Coleman.

• City have won their past 15 meetings with Fulham in all competitions – it is the joint-longest winning run any team has had against another in competitive English football history, with City also having 15-game runs against Bournemouth and Watford.

• Fulham have won just one of their past seven Premier League games, while they are winless in each of their past three at Craven Cottage (D1 L2).

• Manchester City are unbeaten in their past 20 Premier League games (W16 D4). They have won each of their last six in a row, scoring four or more goals on five occasions in that run.

• Erling Haaland has scored five goals in his three Premier League games against Fulham, including a hat-trick in City’s 5-1 win earlier this season. He has scored a penalty in all three games. No player has ever scored from the spot in four consecutive Premier League appearances against a specific opponent.

• Rodri has not lost any of the past 47 Premier League games in which he has featured for Manchester City; only three players have ever had a longer unbeaten run in the competition’s history – Sol Campbell (56 from Nov 2002 to Oct 2004), Kolo Toure (48 from May 2003 to Oct 2004) and Thierry Henry (48 from May 2003 to Oct 2004).

Manchester City and Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva, 29, wants his future resolved by the end of Euro 2024 this summer. (Mirror), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Arsenal and Manchester City continued toe-to-toe at the weekend with neither Bournemouth nor Wolves landing a serious blow on either.

Arsenal may be ahead on points, but City are still favourites, particularly with Erling Haaland back to his best.‌

He got to look special because of his own early goal. Wolves were then tempted out of their defensive shape and, unusually for a Premier League game at the Etihad, Haaland had acres of space to run into behind the opposition defence.

The Norwegian can cut a forlorn figure with nine defenders packed around him in the 18-yard box, but his 12th-minute penalty opened the game up.

‌His fourth goal was an archetypal pre-City Haaland goal, powering at and beyond opponents effortlessly.

Is there a defender in the world that could go one to one with him and regularly come out on top without help from a gang of team-mates? Maybe Antonio Rudiger at a push, but it is a posse not a player that is needed in these situations.

‌Haaland’s headed goal was as iconic as Ruud Gullit’s famous bullet against the USSR in 1988.

If Haaland has added that world-class string to an already multi-wired bow, he actually can improve. This is scary and also the main reason City look very unlikely to slip up from here.

‌The only sadness was that it outshone Phil Foden being voted the football writers' player of the year and the return of the genius David Silva to say goodbye to the Etihad after he did not get the chance when he departed during Covid.

‌But that is what the best strikers do - they grab the limelight.

Pat Nevin was writing for the BBC Football Extra newsletter

Manchester City and Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva wants his future resolved by the end of Euro 2024, amid continuing links to Barcelona. The 29-year-old reportedly has a £50m release clause in his contract. (90min), external

Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Are Pep Guardiola's side boring? And how do you get the most out of Erling Haaland?

The team on BBC Radio Manchester's We're Not Really Here podcast have had their say.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

An emphatic and confident win against Wolves on Saturday kept Manchester City's ambitions of an unprecedented fourth league title in a row on track.

How fabulous to see Erling Haaland responding so perfectly to his critics with four goals. It is only the third time anyone has scored a hat-trick at home against the same opposition in consecutive campaigns.

City have not been at their brilliant best this season but the Blues' fourth goal was a perfect example of what has been missing in key games. Ederson's pass to Phil Foden was quick, decisive and pinpoint accurate. Then Foden's pass over the top was Kevin de Bruyne-like in its conception and delivery. There was much for Haaland still to do when he received the ball, but he saw off the defenders with ease before burying the ball in the back of the net.

More of the same please, with just three league games to go and three victories required to guarantee that unprecedented success.

Nigel Rothband can be found at The Man City Show podcast, external

Chelsea have stepped up their interest in Shakhtar Donetsk's £65m-rated Ukraine midfielder Georgiy Sudakov, 21, who is also being monitored by Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

We asked for your views on Saturday's match between Manchester City and Wolves.

Here are some of your answers:

Manchester City fans

Stella: Much more dynamic performance by City than of late. The performance of Haaland drew all accolades understandably, but also Gvardiol’s performance was top-drawer too. Being picky, it’s a pity we couldn’t keep a clean sheet; perhaps Ederson and the defence should have done better. Nonetheless, it’s a convincing three points and we now focus on Fulham.

Peter: Great all-round performance, every player was 8 out of 10 or better. Haaland was unplayable, magic. So pleased for Alvarez, he would start in every other team in the world, but he doesn't complain, just gets on with it, and boy does he deliver when he gets his chance. Bravo.

FBA: Our game: Pressure. Pressure. Constant Pressure. Goal. Goal. Constant Goals. Three wins needed now to get four titles. FA Cup final in three weeks, we can still get the double. Come on City!

Dave; We all know how this ends. City are back in the groove and totally focused on an unprecedented fourth consecutive title.

Wolves fans

Rugby Wolf: Just as predicted a goal fest for City. This useless defence always lets us down. We have to invest in some quality players - mainly defenders - or we will suffer next season and relegation will be an issue.

Tarciso; It continues to show how biased officials and VAR are against Wolves. I am not saying that City did not deserve to win the game, but it is so clear, that all 50/50 decisions go against Wolves, even when City did not require them. The first penalty took away all the momentum Wolves were trying to build to give City some sort of problems.

Michael: Totally outplayed. No complaints about the result but the standard of refereeing was appalling! Referee gave the first penalty because the City players shouted at him and VAR didn’t intervene. He then initially didn’t give the second penalty, which it blatantly was, VAR intervened and he changed his mind.

Robert: Kilman had a game to forget. Dawson knew how to keep Haaland quiet and how he was missed. Wolves attempting to play an open game made for an interesting watch but also made it easy for City.

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Former England winger Chris Waddle says Manchester City have "no weaknesses" as they continue their pursuit of an unprecedented fourth Premier League title in a row.

City blew Wolves away 5-1 on Saturday to keep the pressure on league leaders Arsenal and know victory in their remaining three games will guarantee them top spot.

"They [City] just grind you down," Waddle told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast. "They are all technically gifted, they have got the players in the right positions.

"[Erling] Haaland for me is an out-and-out goalscorer, everything around him is creativity with [Phil] Foden, [Kevin] De Bruyne, [Bernado] Silva, Rodri, [Mateo] Kovacic - they are all players who can create and open doors.

"The back four are big, strong, and pacy. The goalkeeper is fantastic. They are just a top class side. Wolves played into their hands.

"They just grind teams down. Where do you stop them - on the right, down the middle, on the left? They just come from everywhere.

"It becomes a habit. You win it, you want to win it again - you want to win this, you want to win everything. You've got that mentality. Pep Guardiola must be preaching to them all the time about what they need to do to win football matches.

"He's not going to let up on them, he's going to be at them all the time. That is the way he works. He's got a strong bench, everybody is fit.

"They have got no weaknesses really. I was looking today and thinking how can anybody play against Manchester City. Probably the only way is the old way, 70s and 80s style to go direct and pick up the second balls and put balls in the box.

"You are not going to out-football them."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Match of the Day pundits Gary Lineker, Ian Wright and Jermaine Jenas were full of praise for Erling Haaland after the Manchester City striker became the fastest player to reach 50 Premier League goals with his four-goal showing against Wolves on Saturday.

Lineker said: "He [Haaland] stuck both of his penalties away nonchalantly.

"He does appear back to his best. He had a dip in form that lasted about twelve and a half minutes. Everyone was saying 'he's not the same you know' and I thought 'yes he is, it'll happen, it'll change quickly'."

Jenas responded: "All those Premier League strikers thought they had a chance for the Golden Boot and he just went into overdrive today. Back to his best, back to being sharp. City are at that business end of the season and they all just seemed to step it up against Wolves.

"Haaland got himself into good positions, was aerially dominant, had brilliant movement. He was powerful at the back post for his header.

"When Wolves pressed high he was always an option short. It was a reoccurring theme; coming short, linking up, then going again.

"He is hungry to score goals again. He's been unbelievable since he arrived - this is supposed to be a slow season for him and he's still top scorer."

Wright added: "He gave Wolves the runabout today. I don't think he wanted to come off, he wanted to get five."

Watch Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer