Manchester City face Burton Albion in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg this evening at the Pirelli Stadium.

But with the rumour mill now officially into overdrive, the majority of the back pages are taken up with transfer gossip.

The Express say two players could arrive before the end of January!

That’s despite Pep Guardiola’s repeated assertion there will be no incomings this month.

They believe Wolves’ Ruben Neves, who has been superb this season for the newly-promoted Midlanders, is on our radar, along with Hajduk Split’s Ante Palaversa.

“Neves played a crucial role in helping Wolves return to the Premier League and has been impressive once again this season,” they write.

“The Portuguese star was rewarded with a new five-year deal in July but the midfielder continues to be linked with a move to City.”

And on Palaversa they write: “Guardiola has made it clear he wants to bolster his midfield options but the 18-year-old is seen as a signing for the future rather than immediate competition for Fernandinho.

“He has broken into the Hajduk Split first team this season, making 17 appearances and scoring twice for the league’s sixth-placed side.”

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It’s a theme picked up by Sky Sports, who also say Neves and Palaversa are on the Blues’ radar.

“As usual, Guardiola is also planning for the future and Sky Sports News understands City are close to agreeing a deal with Hajduk Split to sign midfielder Ante Palaversa for a fee in the region of £7m,” they write.

Sky Sports do, however, acknowledge that Guardiola has played down the idea of bringing new faces in this month.

“In this window, unlikely - and that’s coming from the horse’s mouth - with Guardiola saying the sort of players he would like to sign are not usually available during the January transfer window,” they write.

“The manager commented: “Sometimes we have done [made January signings]. But normally, we buy one player, it’s for the next five, six years - and normally these kind of situations in this transfer window don’t happen... If you don’t have injuries, if you are satisfied with the players, the squad you have, you go with them.”

But make no mistake, Guardiola and his team will be scouting, listing and deciding on who to target in the summer as they continue their search for the next Fernandinho.”

Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva has spoken to Paul Hirst of the Times in a wide-ranging and fascinating interview.

Hirst says Silva has ran 176.4 miles in all competitions this season, more than any other City player.

And when that was put the midfielder, who has 33 caps For Portugal, he outlined why he is able to cover so much ground. 

“I would just eat, play football, sleep and go to school,” he says. “I like to always do something and not be at home. I need to keep moving.

“I eat well, sleep well. That’s pretty much it. I feel like I’m always fit. I never feel tired.”

That’s all for this morning’s Media Watch – but stay with us throughout the day we bring you all the build-up ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Burton Albion.

And don’t forget, we will bring you live minute-by-minute updates of the game via our Matchday Centre.