Pep Guardiola praises 'an incredible job' as City's young guns shine against Wycombe

City breeze into the last 16 of the Carabao Cup after a 6-1 win over Wycombe

MANCHESTER CITY RATINGS: Zack Steffen: 6 - Steffen had little to do in goal and could do little to deny the Wycombe opener. His ability to play and look comfortable in possession was impressive throughout. Getty Images

CJ Egan-Riley: 6 - The right-back was unable to have as much impact going forward as his full-back counterpart, but still had a relatively solid game and looked comfortable in possession. Getty

Finley Burns: 6 - Burns did the basics well at times such as heading the ball out of play rather than taking the risk of trying to play it out. However, he was one of a couple of players that lost track of Hanlan for the opener. Reuters

Luke Mbete: 6 - The young defender had a baptism of fire on his debut against Akinfenwa. He struggled at times but was an important part of the build-up on the ball. He was one of three that left Hanlan free for the Wycombe opener. Getty Images

Josh Wilson-Esbrand: 7 - The full-back often pushed high on the left, looking brave on the ball in taking on the opposition when he could. He grabbed an assist with some fantastic patience to beat the wing-back and then pick out Mahrez in the box. Getty Images

Romeo Lavia: 6 - Lavia controlled the midfield well in possession, occasionally finding time and space to pick out a pass. He did look erratic at times though, losing the majority of his duels and picking up a rash yellow card in the first half. Getty Images

Kevin De Bruyne: 7 - The midfielder looked a driving force in midfield, trying to drag his side from a goal down and scoring a great individual goal to equalise in the first half. He continually caused problems for the Wycombe shape. Reuters

Phil Foden: 9 - Foden always looked a threat, gliding into pockets of space with the ball and creating space for others. He grabbed two assists and a goal with a powerful strike from the edge of the box in the first half. Getty Images

Raheem Sterling: 5 - Sterling provided a threat on the left, often taking on his opposition wing-back but just lacking the end product to grab himself a goal on the night. Reuters

Ferran Torres: 6 - The 21-year-old offered little up front, looking flat with the chances he did have in front of goal until scoring from close range in the second half from a great Foden cross. Getty Images

Riyad Mahrez: 8 - Mahrez grabbed two goals and an assist, looking a class above when allowed to cut in and shoot from his flank. Getty Images

SUB: James McAtee (For Wilson-Esbrand 72’): 6 - McAtee entered the fray late on to add fresh legs on the ball and whilst he got a few touches on it, he had little to do as the game dragged towards its conclusion. Getty Images

SUB: Cole Palmer (For Torres 72’): 8 - The youngster caused problems for a tiring Wycombe defence at the end of the match, looking confident on the ball and capping his cameo with a well finished strike late on. Getty Images

Pep Guardiola was left grinning over the performances of Manchester City's teenagers after watching the young side breeze into the last 16 of the Carabao Cup with a 6-1 win over Wycombe.

Six academy players made their debuts on the night, while another teenager, Cole Palmer, added the final flourish with a superb first senior goal for the club in the final moments of the third-round tie.

Phil Foden scored one and had two assists to take man of the match honours, but the night will be remembered for the youngsters who made their mark.

Conrad Egan-Riley, Finley Burns, Luke Mbete, Josh Wilson-Ebrand and Romeo Lavia started as Guardiola named a lop-sided team.

The powerhouse attack featuring Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez played in front of a defensive unit untested in senior football.

They had their first examination when Brandon Hanlan put Wycombe in front with his first goal for the club 22 minutes in, but responded superbly as goals from De Bruyne, Mahrez and Foden put the result beyond doubt before half-time.

Ferran Torres added a fourth, Mahrez got his second late on and then Palmer rounded things off in style, running from his own half before bending the ball into the net.

"I just have to say thank you to the academy," Guardiola said. "They all do an incredible job.

"You have the feeling that we have not just one or two potential players but many of them. The academy gives them the right values to become good professional players and they have the talent.

"We have the feeling that we can count on them. We saw it today a little bit and we know how good they are. As manager of the first team I can enjoy it, I can use them."

Mbete and Burns were handed the unenviable task of marking Wycombe's veteran forward Adebayo Akinfenwa, whose Wikipedia page suggests he would be capable of bench-pressing their combined weight.

Vulnerability from set-pieces was exposed when City failed to clear a corner, leaving the opening for Hanlan, but on the whole they look calm and composed, and comfortable playing in the manner Guardiola expects.

"They faced a legend of English football. It was an absolute pleasure to meet him," Guardiola said of Akinfenwa.

"It's not easy to do it but they did very well. We are going to review the game and show them how to solve the problems. But there was not one bad performance."

It was pretty much the perfect night for Guardiola. While the youngsters impressed, Foden shone on his first start of the season, and De Bruyne took another step as Saturday's trip to Chelsea looms.

"Phil has been injured for two months but Phil doesn't need many games to get his rhythm," Guardiola said. "He lives 24 hours a day to play football and his physicality is sharp.

"Kevin, no, he needs a proper pre-season. He has been injured since the Champions League final with what [Anthony] Rudiger did, then the European Championships and the national team.

"He needs rhythm, but that is why it is so good he got 90 minutes, knowing it is still not perfect but step-by-step. Now is the moment to know Kevin is starting to be ready."

Wycombe were in dreamland for all of seven minutes, but still enjoyed their night in Manchester.

"I didn't get carried away enough to think there was a great shock on the cards," manager Gareth Ainsworth said. "Their front five, wow, and I'm not disrespecting their back five, they were brilliant as well.

"They've got some players who are going to be superstars, but we learnt a lot and we had that moment on 22 minutes when Hanlan got his first goal for the club in front of our fans at the Etihad. Fairytale stuff.

"I hope at the end of the season we're saying we lost to the winners."