The Citizens have been paired up against SuperSport United in their first-round clash, a side they have faced three times already this season; having done the double against the Pretoria side in the league while also pipping them on penalties in last year’s MTN8 competition.
City are currently on a five-match unbeaten run, with McCarthy insisting nothing will change as they look to give the Nedbank Cup a full go.
"For us there is no cup games or league games‚ every game is a must-win‚” McCarthy said. “Every game is a game we’re going to go out there [to win] – we don't toy with the opposition by playing youngsters‚ we take every competition seriously. If they think it’s a game where we’re going to try new things – no. What you see is what you get. We are going out there to win it.”
McCarthy, though, will have to once again tinker with his backline. Edmilson Dove has recently been fielded at centre-back alongside Taariq Fielies, yet an injury to the Mozambican saw Kwanda Mngonyama slot in alongside Fielies in City’s last encounter, a 5-0 drubbing of Free State Stars last week.
Fielies was however red-carded towards the end of that encounter, yet McCarthy is more than confident in his available replacements.
"We have got the young boy Keanu [Cupido]‚ he was equally as good as Fielies‚ Kwanda and Dove when he was given the opportunity to play at the back‚” McCarthy says. “Keanu will come in and do a great job for us, so I’m not worried. But it’ll be good to have Dove and [Ebrahim] Seedat back, so we’re not so tight-squeezed and having to have a makeshift defence – we’re okay.”
Kick-off at Cape Town Stadium is set for 20h15.