Soundbites are not a currency the Frenchman trades in, but the phrase ‘unfinished business’ most definitely applies to the League Cup quarter-final.

In his only other season in English football, Puel led Southampton to the Carabao Cup final and left Wembley with a burning sense of injustice after a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United that was sprinkled with controversy.

The Saints had an early goal ruled out for offside before falling 2-0 down to United, fighting back to 2-2 and eventually losing to a Zlatan Ibrahimovic winner.

“It was not a good memory,” said Puel. “I think it was for us a fantastic final with quality. Perhaps we deserved another result at the end of course with the goal ruled out.

“We came into the game after 2-0 to 2-2 and the third goal was difficult to accept at the end. We got there with young players.

“The decision of the referees is always important - but quality on the pitch for us it the first priority.”

Having been sacked surprisingly by the Saints last summer and even more unexpectedly restored to the Premier League with Leicester, Puel again finds himself just two wins from Wembley.

Standing in his way, however, are a City side he has repeatedly described as the best in Europe and who defeated his side 2-0 at the King Power Stadium in the Premier League as recently as November 18.

Puel faced Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona side as manager of Lyon in a Champions League, losing 6-3 on aggregate in 2009.

And he believes City are approaching the levels of quality displayed by Guardiola’s legendary Barca sides and will remain among the toughest propositions in Europe, even if they make wholesale changes from their all-conquering Premier League side.

“They can make some changes and some rotation but they always keep the same quality and the same style of play and they don’t change their mentality to win every game,” he said.

“For Pep it is the same thing. He tries always to have fresh players to give a good response to any game and that’s the most important thing.

“All the good teams play European games and a lot of games make changes with quality players and to keep good quality on the pitch.

“I played against Barcelona, it was the beginning of the career of Pep. We drew at home and away, phew, it was a fantastic game.

“The most impressive thing was when they lost the ball there was a reaction high up the pitch, with Lionel Messi etc.

“Now he has found the good balance (with City) and the possibility, through the good transition, to play with attacking players in the midfield, like Silva or De Bruyne.”

Puel is planning changes of his own with half an eye on Saturday’s Premier League game at home to Manchester United.

But he still believes his Leicester side can find a way to beat a side no domestic opponent has overcome so far this season.

“It is a cup match and the most important thing is the character of the players to give their best for each other,” he said.

“Then it is important to try and have some options to exploit points about this team. There are not a lot of points and I will want to keep them for myself.”

Guardiola could give England’s Under 17 World Cup winning star Phil Foden – voted BBC’s young sports personality of the year on Sunday – his second senior start.

He is set to rest regulars like Kevin De Bruyne, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Ederson Moraes ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Bournemouth while David Silva will be missing again with City refusing to expand on the “personal reasons” explanation for his absence against Tottenham on Saturday.

Claudio Bravo, Yaya Toure, Danilo plus youngsters Tosin Adarabioyo and Aleksandr Zinchenko are all set for recalls.