This weekend we have the first domestic cup final of the season taking place; the
Carabao Cup Final. Delayed from February, there will at least be some fans attending Wembley Stadium this weekend as Manchester City, fresh from their disappointing FA Cup semifinal defeat by Chelsea, take on Tottenham Hotspur, who themselves have had quite a week.
With both clubs involved in the controversial ESL breakaway plan that was announced and then fell to pieces just 48-hours after the initial announcements, it has been a tumultuous week for both teams and it is going to be interesting to see how this influences both sides in this weekend’s showpiece final.
Add to that the fact that in the past week, Tottenham have sacked manager Jose Mourinho, with former player Ryan Mason and Chris Powell taking temporary charge until the end of the season and we have arguably the most intriguing Carabao Cup Final ahead of us for many years.
Of course, there are going to be a lot of punters across the United Kingdom and beyond that are interested in what this game will have to offer and who want to have a bet on it. Bet365 Sport offers a good range of bets on English football and they are always a good place to consider if you want to have a bet on the game, either pre-match or In-Play.
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Let’s now preview the final by taking a closer look at both teams, followed by how we think the game will go and our best tips for you to back for the final.
Manchester City
Tottenham Hotspur
City have lost just one final (1974), while Tottenham have been beaten in four other finals in this competition (1982, 2002, 2009 and 2015)
The 2008 win in this competition remains Tottenham’s last major trophy. Manchester City have won this tournament in each of the past three years and would equal Liverpool’s record of four successive wins in the competition.
In what has been a tumultuous week for Manchester City, manager Pep Guardiola
confirmed early on in the week that the United States international Zack Steffen would get the chance to play in the final ahead of first choice Ederson. I can also see City perehaps rotating a couple of players with an eye on their Champions League semifinal tie with Paris St Germain on the horizon.
As such, the likes of Zinchenko and Fernandinho may well get a start. I also feel thatwith City now out of the FA Cup, Guardiola may elect to start Sergio Aguero in what will likely be his last Wembley final for City before he leaves the club when his contract expires in the summer. That means Gabriel Jesus may well start from the bench.
The other issue is who plays in central defence where I think the trusted duo of Stones and Dias will be given the task to keep Spurs forward line quiet.
Manchester City Probable XI – (4-3-3) – Steffen, Walker, Zinchenko, Stones, Dias, Fernandinho, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Sterling, Mahrez, Aguero
The main issue for interim Tottenham Hotspur manager Ryan Mason is whether star
striker Harry Kane will be fit for the game after he hobbled off late on in the game with Everton. The England captain’s ankles have bothered him in recent seasons and while the indications are that this is not a massively serious injury, he remains a doubt for the game.
I do feel Kane will play if he can and as such, I’d expect him to line up here for a Spurs team that I don’t think Mason will change a great deal from the one that beat Brentford in the semifinal. I can see Alderweireld playing if he is fit, perhaps coming in for Sanchez.
If Kane doesn’t play. I’d expect Gareth Bale to perhaps be given the start in his place. Bale could also start in place of Moura, or Spurs could also elect to go for Erik Lamela in that attacking role too.
Tottenham Hotspur Probable XI – (4-2-3-1) – Lloris, Aurier, Reguilon, Alderweireld, Dier, Hojbjerg, Sissoko, Ndombele, Son, Lucas Moura, Kane
The last seven games between the teams have seen three wins apiece, with one drawn game.
The teams also last met in the League Cup back in December 2007 and Tottenham ran out 2-0 winners that day. Tottenham have won all three League Cup ties between the teams.
Spurs also were victors when the teams met in the 1981 FA Cup Final, the first game being a 1-1 draw at Wembley, before Tottenham won the replay 3-2.
This should be an interesting final. City come into this game on the back of two defeats
against Leeds United and Chelsea fresh in their mind, which has shown many teams that City can be beaten. However, Spurs come into this game without their manager of the last 18 months and also with doubts over whether their star striker, Harry Kane, will be fit enough for the game.
Tottenham have the better record of the two in the cup competitions, winning all the key games in the League Cup and an FA Cup Final, but you cannot discount this City team who have won this trophy in five of the last seven years and in truth, I think they will make that six out of eight here.
Teams can usually get a boost when a manager is changed but I can’t see that happening here for Spurs against City. As such, the following tips I would back for the game are as follows:
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