Buzz Lightyear
Alert Team
Next up for Guardiola's squad in a busy schedule - a trip to the King Power stadium where they will face Leicester City in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup. The teams met at the same stage of this competition last season with City progressing after winning the tie on penalties (3:4). This was after Mad Bobby Madley had added a generous 8 minutes of added time with City leading 1:2 at the 90 minute mark. This was of course sufficiently long enough to allow Jamie Vardy, penalty conjuror extraordinaire, to manufacture a reason for Madley to award a penalty and send the game into extra time. On seeing the board loaded with 8 minutes of added time Pep was apparently heard to say pointedly to the 4th official "Add more".
Leicester come into the tie in indifferent form having lost their last two fixtures and with their two wins in their last six coming courtesy of a penalty shootout against Southampton in the previous round of this competition and a stuttering and ten man Watford in the league.
The head to head between the two sides (last 6):-
City W3 D1 L2 GF13 GA10
Pep will be conscious of the looming Christmas schedule and is likely to make his team selection with this in mind. Last time out he gave starts to Diaz and Foden in midfield and Adarabioyo in defence with Dele-Bashiru and Nmecha going on as substitutes. He also deployed Zinchenko at left back to add to the youthful tinge of the starting XI. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the same approach this time out despite the availability of the sublime De Bruyne
and the incomparable Sergio Aguero . Both made the subs bench against Everton with KDB coming on for a short cameo and Sergio an unused sub. The latter may very well continue to be wrapped in cotton wool given the hectic Christmas schedule which includes the crucial match against Liverpool at the Etihad on 3rd January. Laporte took a couple of heavy clatters on Saturday so may be given a rest; Stones was an unused sub after a knock and may feature at some point and KDB may get some minutes although I am sure Pep will be mindful that he deployed Kev as a sub against Fulham in the last round in his first appearance after his knee ligament injury…..only to see him crocked again. Given that in the last 6 matches between these sides there have been 26 yellow cards and last season saw Foden clattered hard by Maguire causing him to miss several matches with ankle ligament damage I think Pep will be hoping he can avoid risking using the Belgian.
VAR will be in operation for this fixture.
Skoorb’s potential starting XI
Muric, Walker, Otamendi, Kompany (if Danilo is not passed fit), Zinchenko, Gundogan, Delph, Diaz, Foden, Silva B, Jesus
City injuries:-
Mendy - knee
Bravo - Achilles
Silva - Hamstring
Mangala - knee
Danilo - 'Knock' - perhaps facing a late fitness test
Leicester injuries: -
Amartey - Ankle/foot
James - Lacking match fitness
Chilwell - knee - perhaps facing a late fitness test
Officials:-
Referee - Lee Mason
Assistant Referees: Harry Lennard and Matthew Wilkes
Match Observer: Andy Hall
VAR: Graham Scott
Fourth Official: Stuart Attwell
AVAR: Derek Eaton
Prepared by Skoorb on behalf of Buzz who lost his internet. Let's hope Santa's Elves can restore connectivity in time for Christmas
Leicester come into the tie in indifferent form having lost their last two fixtures and with their two wins in their last six coming courtesy of a penalty shootout against Southampton in the previous round of this competition and a stuttering and ten man Watford in the league.
The head to head between the two sides (last 6):-
City W3 D1 L2 GF13 GA10
Pep will be conscious of the looming Christmas schedule and is likely to make his team selection with this in mind. Last time out he gave starts to Diaz and Foden in midfield and Adarabioyo in defence with Dele-Bashiru and Nmecha going on as substitutes. He also deployed Zinchenko at left back to add to the youthful tinge of the starting XI. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the same approach this time out despite the availability of the sublime De Bruyne
and the incomparable Sergio Aguero . Both made the subs bench against Everton with KDB coming on for a short cameo and Sergio an unused sub. The latter may very well continue to be wrapped in cotton wool given the hectic Christmas schedule which includes the crucial match against Liverpool at the Etihad on 3rd January. Laporte took a couple of heavy clatters on Saturday so may be given a rest; Stones was an unused sub after a knock and may feature at some point and KDB may get some minutes although I am sure Pep will be mindful that he deployed Kev as a sub against Fulham in the last round in his first appearance after his knee ligament injury…..only to see him crocked again. Given that in the last 6 matches between these sides there have been 26 yellow cards and last season saw Foden clattered hard by Maguire causing him to miss several matches with ankle ligament damage I think Pep will be hoping he can avoid risking using the Belgian.VAR will be in operation for this fixture.
Skoorb’s potential starting XI
Muric, Walker, Otamendi, Kompany (if Danilo is not passed fit), Zinchenko, Gundogan, Delph, Diaz, Foden, Silva B, Jesus
City injuries:-
Mendy - knee
Bravo - Achilles
Silva - Hamstring
Mangala - knee
Danilo - 'Knock' - perhaps facing a late fitness test
Leicester injuries: -
Amartey - Ankle/foot
James - Lacking match fitness
Chilwell - knee - perhaps facing a late fitness test
Officials:-
Referee - Lee Mason
Assistant Referees: Harry Lennard and Matthew Wilkes
Match Observer: Andy Hall
VAR: Graham Scott
Fourth Official: Stuart Attwell
AVAR: Derek Eaton
Prepared by Skoorb on behalf of Buzz who lost his internet. Let's hope Santa's Elves can restore connectivity in time for Christmas
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