The two high-flying Premier League sides fight out in the Carabao Cup semifinals as Man United hosts Man City at Old Trafford tonight. The winner of this game will meet Tottenham in the final.
Match Timings: Jan 07, 1:15 AM IST
Team Preview
After meeting each other in last edition’s semifinal, Man City and Man United lock horns again to eye first silverware of the season 2020-21. Manchester Derby are the most fascinating rivalry in English football, and it’s happening for the second time this season. On a previous occasion, both teams settled for a draw.
Both clubs are having a terrific form and the last month was majestic for Man United. Ole’s side is playing outstanding football, and most probably, they will upstage Liverpool from the top spot on January 13 in the rescheduled clash with Burnely. In the previous game, they edged past Aston Villa to reach 33 points, and in the previous ten matches, Red Devils have dropped just 4 points. Meanwhile, Man City have won five and lost none of its last seven league matches. The victory against Chelsea put them high in confidence. It was a pure dominant display from the Citizens at Stamford Bridge. Pep Guardiola's side have lost only two in 24 matches across all competitions this season. They are four points behind arch-rivals, and with 29 points in the pocket, they are getting stronger in the pursuit of the title.
United marked its 16th appearance in the EFL Cup semi-finals, and only Liverpool have more appearances than the Red Devils. Out of the last 15 semifinals, they have progressed into the final nine times, and they have been knocked out in two of their last three. Man City has better numbers in this competition, and they are the current champion. City have won this trophy six times in the last eight editions, and they have also won the League Cup for the fourth time in a row. They have the golden chance to create a record this time. If they win the title this year, they would equal Liverpool as the most successful club in the tournament's history. Guardiola has lost two EFL Cup matches for City, and surprisingly, both defeats came against United.
This edition has a one-legged semifinal, and both teams are in incredible form, so you can't predict a winner. The fans can even see a penalty shoot-out to decide the winner. If we discuss the numbers on Manchester Derbies, Man City have lost only three times in the previous 14 meetings. Solskjaer has also won three of his six managerial meetings with Guardiola. United’s home record is not so convincing, and Man City's away form is slightly better. They have suffered just one defeat in 15 away matches across all competitions.
Possible Lineups & Current Form
Man United
Henderson; Wan-Bissaka, Bailly, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Fred, Pogba; Fernandes; Martial, Rashford
Current form: W W W D W W
Previous match: 2-1 victory against Aston Villa (PL)
Man City
Steffen; Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Mendy; Fernandinho, Gundogan; Mahrez, De Bruyne, Foden; Aguero
Current form: D D W W W W
Previous match: 3-1 victory against Chelsea (PL)
Key Players
Man United
Bruno Fernandes
13 goals in Premier League 2020-21
Marcus Rashford
7 goals in Premier League 2020-21
Man City
Kevin De Bruyne
3 goals in Premier League 2020-21
Riyad Mahrez
4 goals in Premier League 2020-21
