‘Pure logic’ and a final fantasy: Manchester City will have to play by the rules

Hope that defeat by Brentford was worth it, Marc. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

RETURN OF THE MARC?

In any other season, Antoine Semenyo would not have been allowed to feature for Manchester City in the semi-final of Fizzy Cup due to being “cup-tied” after playing for Bournemouth in their August defeat to Brentford. Luckily for Semenyo, a change to the rules meant that Manchester City’s shiny new £65m winger is allowed to have a second crack at Fizzy Cup, because he was signed before the first leg of the semi-final, in which he played a starring role to help obliterate holders Newcastle United (a first leg in which Max Alleyne also excelled for City, despite having already represented Watford in the competition earlier this season). Having seen his team clearly benefit from this revolutionary tweak of Fizzy Cup rule 6.4.2, you’d expect Pep Guardiola to be delighted, eh? Oh.