Chelsea

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca on Joao Pedro, who is on a seven-match goal drought after a fine start with the club:

"For sure, the physical part is important.

"When you are not 100%, it is difficult to compete. Joao is not a problem.

"He is going to score goals and give us assists. He is not going to score 20 goals a year. He's a different profile."

On Pedro Neto's form before the winger returns to his former side:

"He's top, very humble and working hard. He's a very important player for us. We are very happy."

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca on the opportunity to reach the Carabao Cup quarter-final:

"Absolutely. It is three games from the final, so we need to have the desire to play for that. We need to go game by game. Hopefully winning the game we can think about the next one.

Asked if Chelsea are more suited to performing well in cup competitions, Maresca added: "I don't know. I try to focus game by game no matter the competition and try to go as far as we can. All the competitions are important for Chelsea."

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's trip to Molineux to face Wolves in the Carabao Cup.

He provided an update on Liam Delap's fitness: "He took part of a complete session yesterday and he is available for tomorrow.

"90 minutes, no, he's been out two months so he needs to be gradually back to 100%."

He also hinted at rotating his starting XI: "We need to rotate. We need to protect the players because if we go with the same 11, we are going to struggle during the season. Probably we will make some changes.

"There are players that they need to be protected for many reasons, so tomorrow we'll see. Enzo [Fernandez], Moi [Caicedo], Joao [Pedro] - they are all players, for different reasons, we need to protect them."

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

At the moment, Chelsea cannot take two steps forward without taking at least one back.

That inconsistency highlights that despite winning the Club World Cup and Conference League over the summer, they are not ready to win the Premier League title.

A shock defeat at home to surprise package Sunderland has led to supporters playing the blame game again.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca must navigate a big week that could either see negativity grow or fend it off until the next potential setback.

A match at Wolves in the EFL Cup is nearly as important as the trip to face fierce rivals Tottenham, given his squad only looks capable of success in the domestic cups.

Some are blaming the misfiring attack while others point to the central defenders for Chelsea's inconsistency this season.

The return of Liam Delap after around 10 weeks out is expected at Molineux, which could provide a much-needed boost - amid injury absentees and a lack of fitness from some of those currently playing, including forward Joao Pedro.

Ben Ramsdale
BBC Sport

Short and sweet from the Manchester City boss.

We'll revert back to Enzo Maresca now who has already been speaking this morning and try and round that off before bringing Oliver Glasner to you live around 13:30.

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was also asked about the fitness of Rayan Ait-Nouri: "He is fit and available."

Manchester City

Image source, Reuters

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on goalkeeper James Trafford: "The keeper is a special situation because the keepers play normally one and the second one doesn't play.

"All I can say that we are delighted. His behaviour in training [is great]. They all have to be ready in case we need them in the Premier League and Champions League and of course we have an incredible keeper."

And on if he has spoken to Trafford about the opportunities he will get given it is a World Cup season: "I spoke with him and other players."

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on if there is more or less pressure playing a team from a lower league: "It's not my first time, I have played 10 seasons here and I've played many times with Carabao, FA Cups.

"Teams from lower divisions we have always taken seriously otherwise we wouldn't have had the success we have had in the past so we prepare the same way. Incredible focus, sometimes even more."

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola added on Kalvin Phillips and the possibility of him starting: "For a start no but maybe he will travel with us.

"He is a player for the team, the squad. He is coming back, he trains with us, we treat him like another player. The decision of whether he plays or not belongs to me.

"He is always an unbelievable guy. It is a joy to have him in the locker room."

Manchester City

Image source, Reuters

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has faced the press before his team take on Swansea in the EFL Cup. He was first asked on his team news: "Erling [Haaland], I haven't seen him today but it was a knock and day-by-day it is better. Now we train this afterroon where we will find out more this afternoon on how he feels and decide if he can play.

"Rodri still is not, he is getting better. Training with us. No [I don't have an idea on when he will be available]. Hopefully soon but not yet.

"Yeah [this is a game where we could rest Erling]."

Manchester City

Blimey, Guardiola has rocked up early and caught us all off guard.

He says he still has no timeframe on Rodri's return and adds that the likes of Erling Haaland will rested for Wednesday's game.

Full quotes from the Man City boss to come...

Shamoon Hafez
Football news reporter

Manchester City will be aiming to return to winning ways on Wednesday with a trip to Championship side Swansea in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

But Pep Guardiola's side may have to make do without star striker Erling Haaland, who suffered a knock in the loss at Aston Villa on Sunday.

The Norway striker may well have been left out of the long trip to south Wales anyway, but we are yet to find out the extent of the issue.

Will he be OK for the visit of Premier League high-fliers Bournemouth on Sunday? Will the boss shuffle the pack against the Swans? The likes of Rayan Cherki and Omar Marmoush have returned from injury and need minutes in their legs.

We'll find out when Guardiola faces the cameras this lunchtime.

Ben Ramsdale
BBC Sport

That's all from Newcastle boss Eddie Howe.

We've still got Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca to bring you from this morning but we've got to park that for now because Manchester City's Pep Guardiola is coming to us live momentarily.

We'll bring you full quotes as they come in from that one.

Newcastle United

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe on William Osula and just how close he was to leaving during the summer: "I think it was well documented, it was quite close for him that he could have left in a variety of ways, whether that was loan which was always our preference because from our view we wanted Will to play. We wanted him to continue his development, which he did brilliantly last year because I think he committed to a path of limited game time but big training time.

"A lot of work with Graham Jones, a lot of reviewing his performances and a lot of putting work into action. The next step for me was to try and play regularly. That was the aim, especially with us bringing two strikers in, the thought was that he could continue that development best on the football pitch.

"Obviously that didn't happen and much to our relief it didn't happen because Yoane [Wissa] picked up an injury and Will is vitally important. We believe in his talents, he's got speed. He's quick and athletic."

Image source, Reuters

Newcastle United

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe on Yoane Wissa's return: "It's difficult for me to give a [specific] game, Yoane is in a different boat to the other two because he is coming back fitness wise, he has been out longer.

Lewis' return will be quite quick, in terms of once he is fit and available he will be back involved in the group. Same as Tino [Livramento], Yoane is on track but we need to make sure he has gone through a mini pre-season with us as well."

Newcastle United

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe on the Carabao Cup: "We’re still in the early rounds and they’re so important, I know it’s cliché because it’s a knockout competition so of course they are but, finding a way to get through [is important] and we did that several times last season where it could have gone either way so, however we do it, it's just about getting your name in the hat for the next round."

On facing Spurs: "This will be a tough game tomorrow, we’re against a team who are in really good form away from home so one of the bigger challenges we’ve had.

"Tactically, very interesting and very versatile. They build up in lots of different ways. Very aggressive off the ball. They have different ways to make things happen [including] set plays. Very well organised and ultimately, set plays are a big guider of that. Credit to him [Frank] and his coaching staff to what they're doing."

Newcastle United

Image source, PA Media

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe on his journey in the EFL Cup as boss: "A lot of great experiences this competition for us. The [first] final was an amazing thing, still remember vivid memories from that day before the game and obviously the emotions after the game were mainly negative. I felt we left a little bit on the pitch that day. The Chelsea defeat is still painful for me because I felt we had a real chance to win.

"We put it right and did really well last year. We had a lot of challenging games. If you look at our fixture list to get to [the final], we had to beat Chelsea, Arsenal. A lot of great experiences for us which I think has helped us as a team, helped us grow."