Pep Guardiola does not generally lose games in the Carabao Cup, a competition Manchester City have won four times under their current manager.
Beyond blooding their best youngsters, City view the trophy as a valuable exercise in handing match minutes and sharpness to those who have not contributed so much during the season but may be called upon as the campaign becomes congested.
It worked against Chelsea and Liverpool in previous rounds but at Southampton on Wednesday, those given the chance to impress failed. City did not register a shot on target for the first time in five years; not even the introduction of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland helped.