Manchester City's Marco Lopes has stated that he is planning on using the cup competitions to impress manager Manuel Pellegrini.

The Portuguese midfielder was impressive in City's League Cup semi-final win against West Ham United on Tuesday, and the 18-year-old said that he is trying to force his way into Pellegrini's side for Premier League games by showing his worth in the FA Cup.

"Cup games represent a big opportunity for younger players at the club and I'm looking forward to being involved in more matches," he told City's official website.

"It's a different level playing for the senior team - a high-intensity 90 minutes, but it's good for me to learn with these players and play these games. I have to do my work and my job and hopefully I'll get more chances.

"I'm ready and will give 100% because these are the games when you can make an impression and for players like myself and Emyr Huws who have both been in and around the senior team for the past few weeks, it's a great chance to improve as players and gain vital experience."

City are currently second in the Premier League.