Manchester City, under Pep Guardiola, once dominated this competition, having lifted the trophy four times between 2018 and 2021. However, their focus in recent seasons has shifted towards the Premier League and Champions League, resulting in earlier exits from the Carabao Cup. City enter this fixture following a packed week that included a 1-1 draw against Arsenal, and victories over Manchester United and Napoli.
Guardiola is expected to rotate his squad heavily, offering rest to key players like Erling Haaland, Rodri, and Jérémy Doku. Instead, the starting lineup will feature young talents such as Divine Mukasa, Reigan Heskey, and James Trafford, who is eager to stake his claim for more regular appearances. Kalvin Phillips, who has struggled with injuries and form, could also feature after a lengthy absence, possibly marking a turning point in his Manchester City career. For more squad news and updates, follow Manchester Evening News.
Huddersfield have enjoyed a promising start under Grant, currently sitting fifth in League One and having already knocked out higher-division sides, including Premier League Sunderland, to reach this stage. However, they will be without injured trio Herbie Kane, Lynden Gooch, and Jack Whatmough. Expect David Vost and Chelsea loanee Leo Castledine to play pivotal roles.
The predicted lineups reflect both teams’ contrasting priorities. Huddersfield are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation: Nicholls; Sørensen, Feeney, Wallace, Roughan; Vost, Kasumu; Charles, Castledine, Alves; Taylor. Manchester City are likely to field a 4-1-4-1: Trafford; Nunes, Stones, Mfuni, Aké; Nico; Bobb, Lewis, Reijnders, Savinho; Foden. This offers a rare opportunity for City’s youth and fringe players to impress on a big stage.
Historically, City have dominated this matchup, winning four and drawing one of their last five meetings, including a 5-0 victory in January 2024. Huddersfield, meanwhile, will be hoping to upset the odds, as they did against Sunderland.
Betting odds and statistical models strongly favor Manchester City, but with significant squad rotation and the absence of star attackers, the match could be closer than expected. Nevertheless, Guardiola’s side is tipped to prevail, with a predicted scoreline of 2-1 in favor of the visitors.
Fans can watch the match on Sky Sports Premier League in the UK, Paramount+ in the US, and DAZN in Canada. There will be no VAR in use for this round, and if the match is level after 90 minutes, it will go straight to penalties. For detailed match stats and live updates, check BBC Sport or follow the action on ESPN.
This Carabao Cup tie represents a classic cup scenario: a lower-league side with nothing to lose against a rotated but still formidable Premier League powerhouse. With the draw for the fourth round set to take place shortly after the final whistle, both teams will be desperate to secure their place in the last 16.