Manchester City welcome Chelsea to the Etihad Stadium in a blockbuster Third Round encounter in 2022-23 Carabao Cup.
Victory would see Man City avoid their earliest League Cup exit since 2014-15 season, whilst Chelsea are looking to avoid exiting at this stage for the first time in 12 years – having last lost in the Third Round in 2010-11 season.
Team News
Joao Cancelo is suspended for Man City after he was red carded in Saturday’s Premier League win against Fulham.
Kalvin Phillips (shoulder) could make the bench if he is declared match fit by club doctors but Kyle Walker (groin) is unlikely to be risked ahead of the World Cup.
Pep Guardiola meanwhile is planning to rotate his starting line-up with Riyad Mahrez and Cole Palmer amongst those set to start.
Chelsea could be without midfielder, Jorginho for this clash due to a foot injury.
Kepa Arrizabalaga (foot), Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka (both hamstring), Reece James, Wesley Fofana (both knee) and N’Golo Kante (hamstring) remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Man City have won one of three previous League Cup meetings against Chelsea – excluding penalty shootouts – (W1, D1, L1).
- Chelsea lost their only previous away tie to Man City in this competition by 1-0 result in October 1993 at Maine Road.
- This is the first time that Man City meet Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in the League Cup.
- Man City have failed to score in just one of their last four League Cup ties played at home (W3, L1), which came in a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United in January 2020.
- Chelsea have conceded just three goals in their last five League Cup ties played away from Stamford Bridge (W3, D1, L1), during which they kept clean sheets in their last two away ties.
Prediction
Having produced an uncharacteristically sloppy home performance against Fulham on Saturday – only saved by an injury-time penalty from Erling Haaland – Man City just need to show better end product because they otherwise were as dominant as usual.
Chelsea meanwhile were always in for a struggle against Arsenal on Sunday but despite stubborn defending and some great blocks, they were totally outclassed with a lacklustre attack to boot so I do anticipate a serious response here.
Rotation though will be seen across both teams but something in me says that Man City should comfortably win this, given their superior form and quality at present.
Prediction: Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea
Result: Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea