Tottenham Hotspur host Manchester City in the headlining act of the EFL Cup round of 16 as both Premier League sides aim for a spot in the quarterfinals. Both City and Spurs have bettered last season’s finish, when they exited in the third and second rounds, respectively. City made it to Wednesday’s clash after a rotated side secured a 2-1 win over Championship side Watford, while Spurs got through after a tighter-than-expected 2-1 win over another second-division team in Coventry City. Though City are the favorites, it is unclear how much squad selection will decide this matchup as both managers are expected to rotate through their teams.
Here’s what you need to know before tuning in.
How to watch and odds
- Date: Wednesday, Oct. 30 | Time: 4:15 p.m. ET
- Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — London, England
- Live stream: Paramount+
- Odds: Tottenham Hotspur +155; Draw +275; Manchester City +163
Storylines
Manchester City: They may not have looked their best this season, but Manchester City are still getting the job done and currently sit atop the Premier League standings after nine games. They are still the top flight’s best goalscorers with 20 goals in league play so far, though their dominant attack could look different on Wednesday – after beating Watford last month, manager Pep Guardiola declared that in “the next round, I announce to you now, I play the second team.” It is questionable, though, whether or not he can hold up his end of the bargain since players like Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish, who usually pick up minutes in these types of games, will be out with minor injuries. Plus, Guardiola made the declaration before the fourth-round draw, which could have changed his opinion.
Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs are struggling for consistency to start this season, most recently following up a big 4-1 win over West Ham by handing Crystal Palace their first win of the Premier League season. Despite the occasion of hosting City – and perhaps the need to correct course after last weekend’s defeat – manager Ange Postecoglou’s team selection strategy is as equally unclear as Guardiola’s. Son Heung-min and Wilson Odobert will be unavailable but Postecoglou has a variety of options to choose from, including first-team regulars like James Maddison and youngsters like Mikey Moore, who recorded his first Premier League start against Palace.
Projected lineups
Manchester City: Ortega, Lewis, Stones, Akanji, Ake, Gundogan, Savio, Foden, Silva, Nunes, Haaland
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario, Porro, Dragusin, van de Ven, Udogie, Kulusevski, Bissouma, Maddison, Johnson, Solanke, Werner
Prediction
This one will likely come down to the team selection but as City have proved time and again, they boast one of the deepest benches in Europe. Expect them to have the edge, even if it is a slight one. Pick: Tottenham Hotspur 0, Manchester City 1
