Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admits he's been unhappy with the U23 team's performance this season.

Simon Davies's Elite Development Squad have competed in the Premier League 2 this season and finished second behind Everton. But Guardiola has been left thoroughly unimpressed by what he has seen.

"The problem we have is that the second team don't compete," he said.

The [U23s] league doesn't count so the gap with the first team is so big.

"They play between each other with small ages and no spectators. That is a little bit difficult.

"The quality is there. They are coming to the US with us on pre-season and we are going to see how they are but they are 16,17,18, years old.

"Maybe not next season, most of them are going to train with us, we're going to see how they are.

I would like to [use them] but the second teams in Spain, Barcelona, Madrid they are playing in front of 40,000 people and every weekend is a second league in Germany, Spain Italy - it is so tough, so demanding.

"That is the best way to improve, not training with the first team sometimes. Here, they don't compete. They shake hands but they have to play at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge.

"Sometimes it is too early but I don't know if they are able to compete. The league is what it is here so we have to adapt to that."