Manchester City teenager Kaden Braithwaite will become the third-youngest player in the club’s 130-year history when he makes his first-team debut later on Tuesday evening.
Pep Guardiola is expected to name the 16-year-old defender in the City starting XI for their third-round Carabao Cup tie against Watford after impressing the City head coach in training.
The teenager will be the youngest player to be given his first-team bow under Guardiola, who has been in charge at the Etihad Stadium since 2016.
Glyn Pardoe holds the record for the club’s youngest ever player having made his debut in 1962, aged 15 years and 341 days. Former City midfielder Paul Simpson was less than four months older than Braithwaite when he made his debut against Coventry City in 1982.
Braithwaite, who can play at full-back or as a left-sided centre-back, has started all four games for the club’s under-18s this season.
Eight-time League Cup winners City are looking to advance to the next round having previously won the competition four times on the bounce between 2016 and 2021.
City welcome Championship side Watford two days after salvaging a dramatic late 2-2 draw against Premier League title rivals Arsenal on Sunday.
John Stones scored an equaliser eight minutes into stoppage time to clinch a point that sees them remain top of the table after five games played.
Versatility and size has caught Guardiola’s eye
Analysis by Sam Lee
Braithwaite signed for City at the usual under-9 stage, having been picked up by the club’s junior academy — following in the path of Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, among others.
He can play in several positions, including centre-back, left-back and in midfield, and as well as being a bigger build than many City academy youngsters — something Guardiola noted during pre-season when discussing tall midfielder Nico O’Reilly, who also starts against Watford.
Having made his debut for the under-18 side last season, he was promoted to that age group full time during the summer and has already been named vice-captain by coach Oliver Reiss.
(Carl Recine/Getty Images)
