Manchester City‘s quest to reclaim the Carabao Cup begins on Wednesday night with a third-round trip to League One side Huddersfield Town. The Cityzens, who were once a dominant force in this competition, enter the tie showing signs of fatigue after a demanding week of fixtures, and manager Pep Guardiola is expected to ring the changes and rotate his squad heavily.
While City are looking to bounce back, their opponents are in a promising position. Now led by former Man Utd goalkeeper Lee Grant in his first managerial role, the Terriers sit fifth in League One and have already knocked out higher-division opposition, including Sunderland of the Premier League, to reach this stage.
Team news and lineups
After a grueling three-game week, Guardiola will be keen to rest his cornerstone players. The likes of Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku, Bernardo Silva, and Rúben Dias are all unlikely to start. This opens the door for fringe players to impress, with Savinho expected to make his first start of the season, while Phil Foden could operate as a false nine. City are still without the injured Mateo Kovačić, Rayan Cherki and Rayan Aït-Nouri.
The hosts are without the injured trio of Herbie Kane, Lynden Gooch, and Jack Whatmough. However, manager Lee Grant is expected to field a strong side, including Carabao Cup goalscorers David Vost and Chelsea loanee Leo Castledine.
Huddersfield predicted lineup vs. Man City (4-2-3-1): Nicholls; Sørensen, Feeney, Wallace, Roughan; Vost, Kasumu; Charles, Castledine, Alves; Taylor.
Man City predicted lineup vs. Huddersfield (4-1-4-1): Trafford; Nunes, Stones, Mfuni, Aké; Nico; Bobb, Lewis, Reijnders, Savinho; Foden.
Score prediction
Man City have appeared to sacrifice their progress in this competition to prioritise loftier goals in recent years, but Guardiola’s side should still have more than enough quality to overcome their League One opposition. Haaland’s likely absence means the visitors may not run away with the game, and Guardiola’s recent switch to a more defensive system could point towards a tighter affair than many expect. This fixture serves as a significant test for the depth of City’s squad, but they should ultimately avoid an upset.
Prediction: Huddersfield 1–2 Man City