Aston Villa meet twice reigning champions, Manchester City in the 2019-20 Carabao Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.
Villa are looking to win this competition for the first time since defeating City’s cross-town rivals, Manchester United 3-1 in 1994.
City meanwhile are looking to become the first team to win three consecutive Carabao Cups at Wembley.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesAnwar El Ghazi will be in contention to start the Final for Aston Villa after overcoming a facial injury which saw him subbed at Southampton last weekend.
Keinan Davis is also in contention to feature after recovering from a lengthy thigh injury.
John McGinn (ankle), Tom Heaton, Wesley (both knee) and Jed Steer (calf) all remain ruled out.
Man City will be without Aymeric Laporte after the defender suffered a hamstring injury in Wednesday’s Champions League win at Real Madrid.
Leroy Sane featured for the U23s on Friday night as he continues his recovery from a knee injury, so is therefore a doubt.
Road to Wembley
Aston Villa
| Round | Venue | Opposition | Result |
| 2 | Away | Crewe Alexandra | 1-6 |
| 3 | Away | Brighton | 1-3 |
| 4 | Home | Wolves | 2-1 |
| Quarter Final | Home | Liverpool* | 5-0 |
| Semi Final 1st leg | Away | Leicester | 1-1 |
| Semi Final 2nd leg | Home | Leicester | 2-1 (Win 3-2 on aggregate) |
- Liverpool fielded the U23s in the Quarter Final due to first team featuring in FIFA Club World Cup the following night.
Villa comfortably came through the early rounds before squeezing past Midlands rivals – Wolves through Ahmed Elmohamady’s winner in the Fourth Round.
An easy victory over a weakened Liverpool team was followed by a draw at Leicester before Trezeguet’s last gasp second leg winner sent the Villains through to the Final with an aggregate 3-2 win.
Man City
| Round | Venue | Opposition | Result |
| 3 | Away | Preston | 0-3 |
| 4 | Home | Southampton | 3-1 |
| Quarter Final | Away | Oxford United | 1-3 |
| Semi Final 1st leg | Away | Man United | 1-3 |
| Semi Final 2nd leg | Home | Man United | 0-1 (Win 3-2 on aggregate) |
Man City have enjoyed a fairly comfortable route to a third consecutive League Cup Final, although they haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last four games en route since taking a three goal victory at Preston in the Third Round.
The Citizens have also mustered just five yellow cards during this cup run, despite those cards all coming against fellow Premier League clubs in Southampton and Manchester United.
Stat Attack
- This is the first ever Cup Final meeting between Aston Villa and Manchester City across both domestic cup competitions.
- Villa have lost just one of four previous League Cup meetings against Man City (W3, L1).
- Man City have scored in all six previous Cup meetings against Villa this century (W4, D1, L1).
- Villa have scored first in all six of their Carabao Cup games this season.
- City have scored first in four of their five Carabao Cup games this season, with the exception of a 1-0 home defeat to Man Utd in the Semi-Final Second Leg.
Prediction
Aston Villa will be up for this final because with Premier League survival their only other focus, they can afford to go out there and leave their effort on the pitch regardless of whether they win or lose.
Man City meanwhile are currently in a tough hectic run of fixtures but have a great level of squad depth to cope, although their defence is still a concern at times so I feel that City need to get this done in normal time.
If not then Villa surely have to sense that this is their chance because City will definitely feel the fatigue as extra time wears on, although I just don’t see them getting anything given the difference in quality in recent meetings.
Prediction: Aston Villa 0-3 Manchester City
Result: Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester City (Manchester City win 2019-20 Carabao Cup!!)
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