The rule change that means Bali Mumba cannot play for Sunderland against Manchester City

As he has done throughout the competition, Ross is expected to rotate his squad for the visit of the Citizens’ under-21 side.

Several fringe players and youngsters are expected to form part of the Black Cats’ squad for the quarter-final clash - but midfielder Mumba is unable to feature.

The 17-year-old, who penned a first professional deal at the Stadium of Light earlier this season, is suspended for the clash.

And that’s despite having picked up just two yellow cards throughout the season.

New rules introduced this season have affected suspensions for the accumulation of bookings.

Yellow cards are now competition-specific, meaning cautions picked up in league games can only lead to players being suspended in the league, and so on.

While a player must accumulate five cautions to suffer a ban in the league, it takes only two bookings to incur a suspension in cup competitions - including the Checkatrade Trophy.

The FA’s new-look rules state: “The remaining Competitions will carry suspensions in those Competitions only when a player has received 2 yellow cards in that Competition.

“The FA will release separately the cut off points for each of the Competitions as part of the Competition notifications.”

Mumba has been booked twice in the knockout stages of the Checkatrade Trophy, having received yellow cards against Notts County and Newcastle United U21s.

That means he has automatically incurred a one-game suspension, which he will be forced to observe when City come to town.

The youngster will be able to return in action in the semi-final should Sunderland progress to the last four.