Manchester City dealt worrying news over Jeremy Doku - as Pep Guardiola provides an update on wantaway goalkeeper James Trafford's future 

Jeremy Doku could miss the entire festive schedule through injury as Pep Guardiola gears up to make wholesale changes for Manchester City 's Carabao Cup quarter-final.

The Belgium international, in electric form this season, missed Sunday's victory at Crystal Palace with a leg problem and Guardiola has ruled him out of games with West Ham and Nottingham Forest .

City are waiting to see whether Doku can make a return at Sunderland on New Year's Day and are also without Omar Marmoush, who has headed off to the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt.

Guardiola is planning to shuffle his pack when Brentford travel to the Etihad Stadium in the last eight of the EFL Cup on Wednesday, with academy kids Reigan Heskey, Stephen Mfuni and Kaden Braithwaite training regularly with the first team.

'All the players who didn't play against Palace will play,' Guardiola said. 'Plus of course some from the academy because after that there are (only) three days and we face West Ham.

'The really important game is West Ham. After West Ham we have seven days to recover but West Ham… I'm sorry it's so, so important.'

Manchester City's Jeremy Doku is set to miss at least their next three matches through injury

Pep Guardiola insisted that he wants No 2 James Trafford to stay with the club next month

Rodri and John Stones will also miss the Brentford clash, while James Trafford is set for a start in goal. Trafford is open to a move away next month ahead of the World Cup but Guardiola wants to retain his No 2.

'I have no news on that with the player or agents,' Guardiola said. 'Unfortunately for him Gianluigi (Donnarumma) is the first-choice keeper but he is an incredible keeper.

'He is with us and will be with us this season and after we will see what happens.'

Trafford last featured for City during the shock 2-0 Champions League defeat by Bayer Leverkusen when Guardiola made 10 changes. The City boss believes the team selection mistake that night was not retaining some experience in the middle of the pitch.

'The problem against Leverkusen was not having a father figure on the pitch,' the Catalan added. 'There are players where it is not about their quality, it is about how they lead and about being safe.

'Some players - because of age or the process - they don't say 'it doesn't matter what happens'. But other players, they make their team-mates think 'I am safe'. I have to find that. That is a lesson I learned, that you have to find that balance.'