Ace Football previews the Carabao Cup final between Manchester City and Tottenham and offers betting tips, odds, line-ups, and team news.
Manchester City and Tottenham meet at Wembley for the long-awaited Carabao Cup final on Sunday evening.
In what is the first major cup final of the 2020/21 campaign in English football, the EFL will welcome 8,000 fans to the stands in what could be a defining chapter in both City and Spurs’ long history.
Ryan Mason had a splendid start as interim coach of Spurs with a 2-1 debut win over Southampton, but City are a different beast altogether. Kevin De Bruyne may be a doubt, but the cup holders are well equipped to win a sixth title in eight seasons.
Manchester City Form & Stats
After a 1-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea, Manchester City responded with a 2-1 win at Aston Villa. They dominated possession and successfully stifled their opponents in the second half to move another step closer to the Premier League title.
The quadruple dream may be over, but Pep Guardiola’s side can still win a treble this season starting by equaling Liverpool’s records of four consecutive EFL Cup triumphs and an eighth title in the competition overall.
Despite a recent blip in form, City have still won 29 of their last 32 games in all competitions (L3). They also defeated Tottenham 3-0 at home in February, and their last three wins have ended by a 2-1 scoreline.
Although the potential absence of De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, along with the suspended John Stones, is an unwelcome setback.
Key Team Stats
- Won 29 of their last 32 games in all competitions (L3).
- Won 6 of their last 10 games against Tottenham in all competitions (D1 L3).
- 4 of their last 5 games in all competitions ended with a 2-1 scoreline (W3 L1).
- Scored the first goal in 79% of their 33 Premier League games this season.
- Only lost 1 of their 8 EFL Cup final appearances (W7).
- BTTS in 4 of their last 5 games in all competitions.
- Phil Foden has scored 3 goals in his last 5 appearances in all competitions.
Tottenham Form & Stats
After Jose Mourinho’s dismissal on Monday, Spurs ended a three-match winless run by beating Southampton 2-1 under Ryan Mason, who is the Premier League’s youngest head coach at the age of 29.
Despite playing with a little more urgency, Spurs failed to get a single shot on target in the first-half and were fortunate to not fall behind. They must avoid a repeat against City to stand any chance of a first trophy since 2008.
Harry Kane’s presence, meanwhile, in the attack was missed. The striker, who was absent through an ankle injury, could return pending the results of a late fitness test. Given his prolific form, and a desire to win that elusive first piece of silverware, this would be a major boost for the Lilywhites.
Key Team Stats
- Lost 3 of their last 7 games in all competitions (W2 D2).
- Lost 4 of their 8 EFL Cup finals (W4), including the last 2 finals in 2009 and 2015.
- BTTS in each of their last 4 Premier League games.
- Over 2.5 goals in 7 of their last 10 games in all competitions.
- Over 3.5 yellow cards in their last meeting with Manchester City by referee Paul Tierney (3 for City and 1 for Spurs).
- Harry Kane has managed 31 goals and 16 assists in 43 appearances in all competitions.
- Harry Kane has scored just 2 goals in 12 games against Manchester City in all competitions.
Team News
Manchester City
Out: John Stones
Doubts: Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero.
Tottenham
Out: Ben Davies, Joe Roden.
Doubts: Harry Kane, Matt Doherty.
Predicted Line-ups
(Note: The image will change to the official XI once they’re both announced)
Head-To-Head Record (Premier League)
Below are some head-to-head stats on each team’s recent form in the EFL Cup.
Betting Tips
More Odds
Be sure not to miss out on the latest news about Manchester City
Download our brand new App and follow your favorite players, clubs, and much more
