Manchester City will take on Huddersfield Town in the EFL Cup third round on Wednesday, with a spot in the round of 16 on the line.
Manchester City are the better team on paper, and they should be able to grind out an easy win in the EFL Cup third-round tie vs Huddersfield Town on Wednesday. Pep Guardiola’s men are coming into this game on the back of three impressive performances against Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal. They will be full of confidence right now.
The Citizens are unbeaten in four of the last six matches in all competitions, and the players will be expected to grind out a comprehensive win. Meanwhile, Huddersfield Town have failed to win their last two matches against Bradford City and Burton Albion.
It will be interesting to see if the Terriers can bounce back strongly at home. This will be an uphill challenge for them. Huddersfield Town are up against one of the best teams in the world, and it remains to be seen whether they can upset the odds. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Huddersfield Town
Lee Grant is expected to be without Herbie Kane, Lynden Gooch, and Jack Whatmough due to injuries. Huddersfield Town will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Manchester City, with Lee Nicholls in goal.
Lasse Sorensen and Ruben Roosken will start as the full-backs, and they will look to keep things tight at the back. They will look to hit Manchester City on the counter. At the heart of the defence, Josh Feeney will start alongside Joe Low.
As for the midfield unit, captain Ryan Ledson will start along with David Kasumu in the double pivot, and the two players will look to protect the defensive unit and break down Manchester City’s attacking moves.
Leo Castledine and Will Alves will start on the flanks for the home team, and they will look to create transitional opportunities and open up the Manchester City defence with their pace and flair. Alfie May will start as the attacking midfielder, and he will look to link the midfield with the attack. Finally, Joe Taylor will lead the line for Huddersfield Town vs Manchester City.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Nicholls; Sorensen, Feeney, Low, Roosken; Ledson, Kasumu; Castledine, May, Alves; Taylor
Manchester City
Omar Marmoush (knee) is set to miss out once again, while Rayan Cherki (thigh) and Mateo Kovacic (Achilles) remain sidelined. Rayan Ait-Nouri has been ruled out for over a month with an ankle injury.
Manchester City are likely to rotate their squad heavily, and they are expected to start in a 4-3-3 formation vs Huddersfield Town, with James Trafford in goal. Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly will start as the full-backs. They will look to help out defensively and create opportunities going forward. Abdukodir Khusanov and Nathan Ake will form the central defensive partnership.
As for the midfield unit, Nico Gonzalez, John Stones, and Matheus Nunes will start in the middle of the park. They will look to add defensive cover and control to the side.
Oscar Bobb and Savinho will start on the flanks for Manchester City. They will look to add pace, flair, and unpredictability going forward. Finally, Phil Foden will lead the line for Manchester City vs Huddersfield Town.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Trafford; Lewis, Khusanov, Ake, O’Reilly; Nunes, Stones, Gonzalez; Bobb, Foden, Savinho
Key Stats
- Manchester City have scored at least three goals in their last three matches against Huddersfield Town in all competitions.
- Manchester City have been winning at both half-time and full-time in their last three matches against Huddersfield in all competitions.
- Manchester City have won five of their last six matches against Huddersfield Town in all competitions.
- Huddersfield Town have scored just three goals in six matches against Manchester City.
Player to Watch
Phil Foden
The Manchester City homegrown star is our key player to watch out for. He will look to create opportunities for his teammates and find the back of the net.
Foden is capable of drifting into multiple attacking areas, and he could cause all sorts of problems for the home team with his creativity and goalscoring ability. They will struggle to contain the England international. His technical ability, agility and flair in the final third could make a defining impact for Manchester City.
Prediction
Huddersfield Town 0-3 Manchester City
Manchester City are set to rotate their squad heavily, but they have enough quality in depth. They should be able to get the job done easily. The away side have enough quality in the attack, and Huddersfield Town will struggle to keep them quiet. The Terriers are likely to continue their winless run. A comfortable victory for Manchester City is on the cards.
