Carabao Cup Semi Final First Leg: Preview

Manchester City face a difficult first leg away at Old Trafford.

There are just over 4 and a half miles which separate Manchester City from Manchester United, a distance which can be covered in a brisk 90 minute walk or about 3 days via public transport.

Despite the geographical proximity, the two teams are poles apart in beliefs, ethos and culture. Yet both sets of supporters have been united in dismay at the ridiculous ticket allocations for away fans in both legs of the Carabao Cup Semi Final.

Custom dictates that away teams receive a 10% allocation of tickets but for this fixture that has been reduced to just 3000 tickets, meaning many fans will sneak into home areas making the whole match a touchstone of potential fan trouble.

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Putting the fan angst about tickets to one side, the game itself is strangely difficult to predict, given it rests so much upon the team selection. Surely neither manager will rest his big players for this derby game?

Stranger things have happened though.

Guardiola has under estimated Manchester United on a number of occasions already and should approach this fixture with some caution. Manchester United rested many players in the FA Cup at the weekend so will be expected to field a full strength side.

Injuries may limit that side though as Paul Pogba appears to be saving face by feigning an injury. City have everyone fit except long term absentees, Leroy Sane and Aymeric Laporte.

Of course none of that makes guessing Guardiola’s team selection any easier! I suspect we will be wary of the United counter attacking pace so expect we will see either John Stones or Eric Garcia at centre back. Hopefully Garcia as I believe he has earned that right.

Ederson should be goal and have Benjamin Mendy and Kyle Walker as full backs, with Fernandinho making up the defence.

Midfield should be Rodrigo as the defensive number 8 with Kevin De Bruyne and either Phil Foden or Bernardo Silva alongside. Fitness may well be the deciding factor between them.

Up front should be the return of Gabriel Jesus, alongside Riyad Mahez and Raheem Sterling. For me, there is no excuse in this game to play anything other than our best side because for me, only a first  leg victory will suffice.

Let us hope that both ouf passion on the pitch and intensity is back, otherwise this could prove to be a very long month!