Manchester City go face Swansea City for the fourth round of the EFL Cup this Wednesday night, as Pep Guardiola men go try avoid any shock waka-out from the competition.
Dem dey come off a 1-0 Premier League loss to Aston Villa, and go wan bounce back sharp-sharp, while Swansea go dey find their second straight win after dem beat Norwich City 2-1 for Championship last weekend.
Match Preview
Swansea finally get their first win in almost one month when dem knack Norwich 2-1 for Wales, thanks to Zan Vipotnik wey score both goals. That result don move dem go 13th position for Championship table and only three points behind the playoff zone.
Alan Sheehan boys don also show strong form for EFL Cup this season — dem don beat Crawley Town, Plymouth Argyle, and Nottingham Forest to reach this stage.
The Welsh club go now aim to shock another Premier League team to enter quarter-final. No be today Swansea dey perform for this competition; dem even win the League Cup back in 2013 after dem hammer Bradford City 5-0 for final. But the wahala be say dem don lose their last seven matches against Man City for all competitions, including one 2-1 defeat when both sides meet for the third round back in 2016.
Meanwhile, Man City dey come into this fixture after one narrow 1-0 defeat to Villa where Matty Cash score the only goal for the 19th minute. Guardiola side dey currently 5th for Premier League table with 16 points from nine matches, six points behind league leaders Arsenal wey dey look like real title contenders this season.
The Citizens don win two out of three Champions League matches this term and already advance for EFL Cup after dem beat Huddersfield Town 2-0 for the previous round. Dem don carry the League Cup eight times before — the last one na 2021 — and na why dem dey among the favourites again this year. Historically, City don win 26 of their 37 meetings with Swansea, and dem never lose to the Welsh side since March 2012.
Swansea City EFL Cup form: WWW
Swansea City form (all competitions): DWLDLW
Man City EFL Cup form: W
Man City form (all competitions): WDWWWL
Team News
Swansea go still miss Ricardo Santos because of knee injury, but apart from that, dem squad dey fairly complete. Malick Yalcouye wey miss the Norwich game through suspension go likely return for this match. Head coach Alan Sheehan fit make small changes — Adam Idah go probably start upfront, while Benson Manuel Hedilazio and Ishe Samuels-Smith go also enter the XI.
For the Man City side, Erling Haaland go need medical check after he jam post during the Villa match. Even if he fit, Guardiola no too likely start am. Rodri, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Rayan Ait-Nouri still be doubt cases.
Expect heavy rotation from Pep — James Trafford fit start for goal, while Nico Gonzalez, Jeremy Doku, Nico O’Reilly, Omar Marmoush, Nathan Ake, Rico Lewis, and Mateo Kovacic all fit get starting shirts.
Swansea City possible lineup:
Fisher; Key, Casey, Burgess, Samuels-Smith; Franco, Galbraith; Manuel Hedilazio, Yalcouye, Eom; Idah
Manchester City possible lineup:
Trafford; Nunes, Stones, Ake, O’Reilly; Lewis; Bobb, Kovacic, Nico, Doku; Marmoush
Prediction
Even though Man City go rotate their squad well-well, the quality still dey clear. Swansea go surely give fight especially with home advantage, but City likely get too much firepower and organization to allow any upset happen. Expect Guardiola men to control possession and dictate play for long stretch of the game.
We say: Swansea City 0–2 Manchester City
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