The EFL has hit back at Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City boss blamed the ball for his side's struggles against Wolves.
City progressed to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes.
Wolves had the game’s best chances too, with Bright Enobakhare and Helder Costa both missing one-on-one opportunities against Claudio Bravo.
But instead of taking umbrage with his team, Guardiola hit out at the ball.
And the EFL have responded and plan to speak to the City boss about the issue.
Guardiola said: "It is not acceptable, the ball was unacceptable for a high-level competition
“It is too light, it moves all over the place, it is not a good ball.
"It is impossible to score with a ball like that and I can say that because we won, I’m not making excuses. All of my players said: ‘What is that?’
"I’m sorry Carabao Cup is not a serious ball for a serious competition. It’s marketing, money, OK but it’s not acceptable – [it has] no weight, nothing.”
EFL statement
"The Mitre ball used in this season’s Carabao Cup is of exactly the same technical specification as the balls used in the Sky Bet EFL and Checkatrade Trophy, all of which are tested in accordance with the
"FIFA Quality Programme for Footballs” and meet the “FIFA Quality Pro” standard. All balls used in the professional game are required to meet this standard.
"Clearly, preference is a subjective matter, but overall the entertainment provided across last night’s Round Four ties would suggest that the ball used is not having a negative impact in the competition.
"We will look to engage with Mr Guardiola and Manchester City to fully understand any concerns in advance of their Round Five tie."