Preview – Man City vs Tottenham
The Carabao Cup final is here! Man City and Tottenham are gearing up to do battle at Wembley this Sunday in their 11:30 a.m. ET clash, with the Citizens aiming to win one of three available titles while Spurs look to bring an end to their atrocious 13-year trophy-less spell.
Both clubs were embroiled in the recent European Super League controversy, with these two Premier League giants being founding clubs of the highly-controversial breakaway tournament. However, with that issue being resolved for the meanwhile, with all but two of the 12 participants withdrawing, both sides can shift their focus back to on-the-pitch matters.
Guardiola's side are the favorites, and for obvious reasons. The Cityzens have been, by far, the best team in England this season, marching to an 11-point lead in the Premier League and securing their spot in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. The English top-flight title is all but done and dusted for De Bruyne and Co. as there are only 5-6 games left to play. Furthermore, with a European crown being a huge possibility, Man City could end up winning the treble this season, following in the footsteps of city rivals Man Utd.
However, Pep's men must beat Tottenham first before they can ponder over this feat. The Cityzens have won all but three of their last 32 fixtures, but two of their last five outings have ended in defeats. First came an unexpected 2-1 loss at home to 10-man Leeds, a result which was brushed aside as it happened right before their crucial 2nd leg Champions League quarter-final clash with Dortmund. The other slip-up was a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals, bringing an end to their dream of winning a historic quadruple.
City have since bounced back, beating Aston Villa 2-1 in their most recent clash. Pep's side conceded very early in the game, but goals from Phil Foden and Rodri sealed a comeback triumph. Will City brush Spurs aside and lift the League Cup? That's the question on everyone's mind.
Tottenham have not been performing well lately, picking up only two wins from their last seven fixtures. However, with Jose Mourinho, a man known for winning finals, present, many fans held the notion that the Special One would be able to nick the trophy despite their abysmal run. As a result, it came as a huge shock when the decision to sack the Portuguese tactician was announced on Monday.
Ryan Mason has been named the caretaker manager, and while he led his team to a 2-1 triumph, beating Guardiola in a final will be a far more difficult task for the interim boss. Do not miss Sunday's final.
Team news
Man City: Pep is sweating over the fitness of De Bruyne, but with the PSG clash being right around the corner, Guardiola might not risk his influential Belgian ace. Sergio Aguero should be fit but the Argentine is unlikely to start. John Stones is suspended thanks to his red card against Aston Villa while Zack Steffen is tipped to start in goal over Ederson despite his howler in the 1-0 loss to Chelsea.
Tottenham: De Bruyne isn't the only major player in risk of missing this final as Harry Kane faces a race against time to be fit after suffering an ankle injury. Doherty is a doubt while Ben Davies is sidelined.
Key stats
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A win on Sunday would see Man City earn their fourth consecutive Carabao Cup title, moving level with Liverpool for most consecutive titles.
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Furthermore, the Cityzens could lift their eighth League Cup crown, which would see them equal Liverpool, once again, as the competition's most successful team.
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Tottenham haven't won a trophy since 208.
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However, their last silverware came in this exact competition, beating Chelsea 2-1 in the final.
Broadcast listings
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
