Preview: Man City visit League One Huddersfield
Manchester City will be expected to take the game to Huddersfield Town after Sunday’s back-to-the-walls job away to Arsenal.
By Graham Ruthven
Firm favourites
Pep Guardiola didn’t look much like Pep Guardiola on Sunday. At least, his Manchester City didn’t play like a team of his, defending with their backs to the wall for much of the 1-1 draw away to Arsenal.
The ends would have justified the means had it not been for Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage time leveller, but City will be expected to take the game to Huddersfield Town in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie.
Having already knocked out Leicester City and Sunderland, Huddersfield are aiming to continue their giant-killing in this season’s Carabao Cup.
Lee Grant’s team have made a decent start to the season, winning five of their opening League One fixtures, although their current run of just one win from four games hints at a drop-off.
Guardiola could rotate his squad for the trip to the John Smith Stadium after two matches against Napoli and Arsenal in the last week, but City have such strength in depth that they remain firm favourites to make the next round.
Key players
Joe Taylor will likely start in attack for Huddersfield Town. While the 22-year-old hasn’t scored in his last two appearances, he has notched three goals in nine league outings this season.
Will Alves, Leo Castledine and Alfie May, who has a combined four goals and assists this season, could also be in line to start for the home team, giving Huddersfield creativity and attacking threat behind the central striker.
David Kasumu will partner Daniel Vost in the centre of the pitch, giving the pair arguably the toughest task of any two Huddersfield players. They will be key to ensuring the hosts aren’t overrun in midfield.
Guardiola could set up his Manchester City side in a number of different ways to make good use of his squad options. This makes it difficult to predict who could start for the visitors.
Savinho could use this as an opportunity to stake a claim for a more regular spot having been squeezed out of the team by Jérémy Doku and Phil Foden this season. Nico González might also get a chance from the start on Wednesday night.
Team news
Huddersfield are expected to be without Herbie Kane, Lynden Gooch and Jack Whatmough for the visit of Manchester City to the John Smith Stadium, although the trio could return from injury in the coming weeks.
Guardiola has a number of injuries to contend with. Rayan Aït-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Mateo Kovačić and Omar Marmoush are all sidelined for City and will play no part in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie.
Erling Haaland could sit out after suffering a knock in the weekend draw against Arsenal while James Trafford could come back into the City lineup after recently losing his spot to Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The likes of Oscar Bobb, Gonzalez, Rico Lewis and Savinho could be among the rotation options given an opportunity to prove their worth from the start against the Terriers.
Prediction
Similarly to the other big Premier League teams that have entered the Carabao Cup at this stage, we’re expecting Pep Guardiola to make wholesale changes to his starting XI but we don’t see City slipping up here: Huddersfield Town 0-2 Man City.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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