We have a Manchester derby to look forward to in the EFL Cup semi-finals as Manchester United host Manchester City at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Both sides head into this clash in good nick, so this is destined to an intriguing battle between two in-form rivals.
Swept home in style! What a @Sure Move of the Match! 🤩🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/QSSXVSfGC3— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 4, 2021
Swept home in style! What a @Sure Move of the Match! 🤩🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/QSSXVSfGC3
Man Utd have made it to the semi-finals without a conceding a single goal in their previous three games in this competition.
After seeing off Championship side Luton Town 3-0, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men beat Premier League opponents Brighton by the same scoreline.
In the quarter-finals, the Red Devils beat Everton 2-0, thanks to late goals from Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial.
Man Utd are unbeaten in their last ten Premier League outings, with eight wins and two draws coming during that period.
Solskjaer’s side beat Aston Villa 2-1 last time out, meaning they now sit second in the table – four points ahead of Man City.
Pep Guardiola’s men moved up to fifth on Sunday following a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Chelsea and Stamford Bridge.
First-half goals from Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne sealed the deal early on, before Callum Hudson-Odoi netted a late consolation.
Man City head into Wednesday’s semi-final on an 11-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, including seven matches in the Premier League.
It is also worth pointing out that Guardiola’s side have scored over 2.5 goals in three of their previous four victories.
Like United, City have also had a relatively straightforward route to the semi-finals. They have beaten Bournemouth (2-1), Burnley (3-0) and Arsenal (4-1) to reach this stage.
Head-to-head: These two rivals faced each other in the league last month, with the teams producing a goalless draw at Old Trafford.
That means that United are unbeaten in their previous three matches against City, with two victories coming for the red side of Manchester last season.
Man Utd forward Edinson Cavani will be suspended for Wednesday’s game, while Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo are all injured.
As for Man City, their camp has been hit hard by coronavirus. Eric Garcia, Gabriel Jesus, Kyle Walker and Ederson all missed the victory over Chelsea, so it’s unclear whether they will return this week.
These two rivals rarely produce a dull game, so this semi-final is likely to dish up plenty of goalscoring opportunities.
Forebet predicts that both sides will score over 1.5 goals on Wednesday. The draw is looking like the most probable outcome, with penalties expected to be required to decide the winner.