Willy Caballero will start Sunday’s Capital One Cup final for Manchester City after Joe Hart was informed by Manuel Pellegrini he will not be selected to face Liverpool. Pellegrini’s decision comes despite Caballero’s particularly poor performance in Sunday’s 5-1 FA Cup defeat at Chelsea.

Caballero has played in all the previous rounds. Two years ago Pellegrini chose Costel Pantilimon in goal for the 3-1 victory over Sunderland in that season’s final after the Romanian had been first choice throughout the competition.

Premier League and Capital One Cup final: 10 things to look out for this weekend Read more

Although sources close to Hart confirmed the 28-year-old had been told of Pellegrini’s decision, Caballero indicated he had yet to be informed he is in the team.

“It is my desire to play in this final and I am ready,” the Argentinian said. “It is up to the boss what he does with his starting XI. All the other players are waiting too. I think it’s a question for Manuel. I have to accept whatever decision he makes. But I’ve played every game in this cup. I’m sure he’ll make the correct decision.

“Do I deserve to play? It could be but I have been thinking about this game for a long time since we won against Everton. We’ve been training very hard for this game and I am ready for it. After this week and the great result in the Champions League [3-1 at Dynamo Kyiv] we are just thinking about the final.”

Of his poor performance at Stamford Bridge the 34-year-old said: “That was different. A different team and on Sunday it will be different again. But we have to learn from that and use it for this game as well.”

Pellegrini said: “We will see the starting XI on Sunday. I have answered that question many times before – I don’t change the way I think. We won this cup with Pantilimon playing the whole cup so [I have] no reason to change.”