Manchester City go head-to-head with Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.
Following Jose Mourinho’s sacking on Monday, interim head coach Ryan Mason will Tottenham into the final.
Victorious at Villa! 🎥🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/hLTLCHuuSZ— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 21, 2021
Victorious at Villa! 🎥🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/hLTLCHuuSZ
Man City were always going to be favourites to lift the trophy on Sunday, but it feels as though Mourinho’s departure has given Pep Guardiola’s side an even better chance of sealing EFL Cup glory.
Let’s not forget that Man City have won each of the last three Carabao Cup finals and five of the previous seven.
Guardiola’s men have seen off Bournemouth (2-1), Burnley (3-0), Arsenal (4-1) and Manchester United (2-0) on their way to reaching the final this season.
However, they were knocked out of the FA Cup semi-finals by Chelsea last weekend, losing 1-0 at Wembley.
By their own high standards, Man City’s preparations for Sunday’s final have not been overly convincing.
Still, it is important to remember that City have won 19 of their last 21 Premier League games and are on the verge of clinching the title.
On the flip side, Mourinho was relieved of his duties following a run of just one run in five Premier League games.
Mason enjoyed a winning start to his temporary reign in midweek, with Tottenham beating Southampton 2-1 on Wednesday.
While enjoying 62% possession, Spurs came from behind to win 2-1, thanks to goals from Gareth Bale and Son Heung-min.
After edging out Chelsea on penalties, Tottenham overcame Championship sides Stoke City (3-1) and Brentford (2-0) to reach the final.
Spurs are averaging two goals per game in the EFL Cup this season. They will need to continue that if they are to upset Manchester City.
Head-to-head: Man City and Spurs have already faced each other twice in the Premier League this season.
Spurs claimed a 2-0 win one home solid back in November, before Man City beat Tottenham 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium in February.
Team news: Sergio Aguero will miss Sunday’s final through injury, while Kevin De Bruyne is also a doubt for Man City.
Tottenham will be without Ben Davies, while there are question marks over the fitness of Harry Kane and Matt Doherty.
It is difficult to predict exactly how Tottenham will fare under Mason on Sunday, although Man City are expected to be too strong for Spurs.
Forebet predicts that Man City will score over 1.5 goals on their way to beating Tottenham and lifting the Carabao Cup trophy.