Manchester United kick off the semi-finals of this season’s Carabao Cup as they welcome Manchester City to Old Trafford in the first leg of their tie.
Man Utd will be hoping to stop City taking a huge step towards another Final and becoming the first team since Liverpool between 1981-84 to reach at least three consecutive finals in the same cup competition.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesHarry Maguire is a doubt for Manchester United after picking up a knock against Wolves in their goalless FA Cup clash on Saturday.
Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Luke Shaw could all return after overcoming illness, which kept the trio out at the weekend.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Eric Bailly (both knee), Marcos Rojo (groin), Axel Tuanzebe (hip) and midfielder – Paul Pogba (ankle) remain sidelined until end of month.
Scott McTominay meanwhile is still out indefinitely with a knee injury.
Manchester City could welcome Ederson back after illness kept him sidelined during their 4-1 FA Cup home win over Port Vale.
Nicolas Otamendi (unspecified) could also return but Aymeric Laporte and Leroy Sane won’t be rushed back as they step up their recoveries from serious knee injuries.
Stat Attack
- Manchester United have lost just three out of seven Manchester Derbies against City in the League Cup – excluding penalty shootouts (W3, D1, L3).
- City are winless in four League Cup trips to Old Trafford (D1, L3).
- Both teams have scored in two of three League Cup meetings this decade.
- City have played just one of their last four semi-final first legs away from home in this competition, losing 2-1 to Everton at Goodison Park in January 2016.
- Just one of United’s six Carabao Cup goals this season has been scored by a player aged 25+, coming as an own goal by Colchester United’s Ryan Jackson in the Quarter-Finals last month.
Prediction
After a dire performance at Wolves on Saturday, Utd need to step up their game here in a similar manner to how they defeated City in the league last month.
Do that then we might have a game on our hands but given that Pep Guardiola rested many of his first-team regulars at the weekend, City will have the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling starting which shows how serious they’re about this competition.
I therefore am expecting a strong performance from both teams but City need to realistically find that first League Cup win here, otherwise I can’t see them winning this tie if their last away/home semi-final performance back in January 2016 is any omen.
A draw however would be a good result for both teams to take into the second leg.
Prediction: Manchester United 1-1 Manchester City
Result: Manchester United 1-3 Manchester City
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