Carabao Cup semi-final team news and prediction: Man Utd vs Man City

A place in the Carabao Cup final against Jose Mourinho's Tottenham is at stake when Manchester United and Manchester City face off in the last four on Wednesday evening.

City have remarkably failed to score in each of their last four visits to Old Trafford but clicked into top gear at the weekend in a 3-1 thrashing of Chelsea.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking to take United over the semi-final hurdle for the first time after the Red Devils crashed out at this stage of three competitions last season.

Ahead of such a pivotal match for both clubs, we have all your need-to-know match information including team news, where to watch the game and predicted outcome.

When is kick off?
Wednesday 6th January, 19:45 GMT
Where is the match?
Old Traffod, Manchester
Where can I watch it?
Sky Sports Football / Sky Sports Main Event

Route to the semi-finals

Manchester United are yet to concede a goal in the Carabao Cup this season, with eight goals scored without reply against Luton, Brighton and Everton. United have actually been drawn away in all three rounds to date, so hosting City will be their first League Cup match at Old Trafford of the season.

Like United, Manchester City brushed off lower league opposition in Bournemouth in their opening match of the League Cup before successive wins over Premier League rivals in Burnley and Arsenal, both away from home, to reach the last four. Pep Guardiola is chasing history as no other manager has ever won this competition four years running.

Team News

Manchester United have a relatively clean bill of health heading into Wednesday and may stick with the same side that started the 2-1 win over Aston Villa last time out. Dean Henderson will expect to rotate back into the side having started their previous Carabao Cup matches, however. There is also a chance Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reverts to a back three, with both Luke Shaw and Alex Telles in the same starting XI. Edinson Cavani is still banned, so Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are expected to lead the line.

Pep Guardiola has a depleted squad ahead of this match, with a host of first-team players missing out due to COVID-19. Ederson, Kyle Walker, Gabriel Jesus, Eric Garcia and Ferran Torres are all currently self-isolating and are set to miss out here. Veteran third-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson has also tested positive. Despite having less time to recover and prepare for this match, Guardiola may stick with the bulk of the side that performed so well against Chelsea at the weekend.

Probable XIs

Man Utd (4312): Henderson; Wan-Bissaka, Bailly, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Fred, Pogba; Fernandes; Rashford, Martial 

Man City (4231): Steffen; Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Mendy; Fernandinho, Gundogan, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Foden; Sterling

Key Battle: Harry Maguire vs John Stones

Harry Maguire has come on very strong for Manchester United after a turbulent start to the season and appears to have finally put his off-field problems dating back to the summer behind him. The United captain has looked more comfortable since being paired at the back with Eric Bailly, who has the speed to make up for Maguire's shortcomings.

John Stones' resurgence has been one of the surprise points of the 2020/21 campaign. The 26-year-old's time at City looked done at the end of last season but he has bounced back superbly this season and has even leapfrogged Aymeric Laporte in the pecking order this term. Of players to have started at least five Premier League gams this season, Stones has the best pass success rate in the division (93.4%). He is even set for an England recall, having last appeared for the Three Lions in November 2019. Could this be England's defensive pairing at Euro 2020?

Prediction: Man Utd 2-1 Man City