EFL: Man Utd vs Man City; team news, predictions and more
Man City travel to Old Trafford to face Man Utd in the English League Cup with Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho under pressure to deliver results.
Pep has seen his team fail to win their last five matches in all competitions while Mourinho’s side suffered a 4 – 0 defeat at Chelsea in their last game.
Guardiola and Mourinho during their time at Barcelona and Real Madrid
In years gone by, both teams might have looked at the League Cup as a way of blooding youngsters but the importance of this clash cannot be overstated by the need for both managers to win supporters over.
The two teams have already played each other earlier this season in the Premier League with Pep coming out on top 2 – 1 at Old Trafford.
Kevin De Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho scored for City, Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored for United.
Team News
Eric Bailly suffered a knee in the defeat to Chelsea and he has been ruled out for two months. Up until his injury, he was probably United’s best player so far this season.
Kevin De Bruyne misses out for City with a knock. Right-back Pablo Zabaleta is a major doubt after suffering a gashed foot in the 4-0 Champions League loss at Barcelona last week.
Kevin De Bruyne posted a man-of-the match performance as he scores City’s first goal when his side played Man Utd earlier in the season
Pep has already stated that reserve players will play whiule Mourinho has been coy on spilling details about how he will go in the match.
Possible line-ups
Man Utd: Sergio Romero, Fosu-Mensah, Smalling, Daley Blind, Luke Shaw, Herrera, Paul Pogba, Juan Mata, Anthony Martial, Henrihk Mhkitaryan, Marcus Rashford
Man City: Willy Cabalerro, Bacary Sagna, Vincent Kompany, Nocolas Otamendi, Gael Clichy, Ilkay Gundogan, Jesus Navas, Fernando, Leroy Sane, Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Garcia
Predicted scoreline
Man Utd 3 – 1 Man City
STATS
Manchester United have won only two of their six previous League Cup meetings with Man City (D1 L3), although they are unbeaten in the three meetings at Old Trafford
The last time these sides met in the League Cup was in the 2009-10 semi-final, with United winning 4-3 on aggregate thanks to a 3-1 win at Old Trafford in the second leg
Both times Man City have eliminated their neighbours from the League Cup, they have gone on to win the trophy (1969-70 and 1975-76)
In all competitions, Man City have won four of their past six meetings at Old Trafford (D1 L1)
Two of Jose Mourinho’s three wins against Pep Guardiola as manager have come in cup competition (one Champions League, one Copa Del Rey)
In all competitions, Guardiola has failed to win his past three away games with Man City. He has only ever gone four away games without a win once in his managerial career (March 2009)
Pep Guardiola
Other EFL games to be played tonight;
Southampton vs Sunderland
West Ham United vs Chelsea
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