Liverpool (H) - Carabao Cup 4th Round - Thu 22nd Dec, 20:00 | Pre-Match Thread

Match Result Prediction

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MCFC1993

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Kick off time 20:00 (GMT). Live on Sky Sports for those in the UK.

Just 3 weeks away.

Our first game following this is Leeds (A) in the Premier League on the 28th Dec. Liverpool play Aston Villa (A) in the league on the 26th Dec. So we get 2 extra days recovery.

Liverpool are playing Lyon in a friendly on the 11th Dec and Milan on the 16th Dec.

City players available:
Stefan Ortega
Scott Carson
Sergio Gomez
Rico Lewis
Joshua Wilson-Esbrand
Cole Palmer
Riyad Mahrez
Erling Haaland
Kevin De Bruyne - Knocked out of the WC on 1st Dec.
Ilkay Gundogan - Knocked out of the WC on 1st Dec.
Rodri - Knocked out of the WC on 6th Dec.
Aymeric Laporte - Knocked out of the WC on 6th Dec.
Manuel Akanji - Knocked out of the WC on 6th Dec.
Nathan Ake - Knocked out of the WC on 9th Dec.
Foden, Grealish, Stones, Walker, Phillips out of the WC on the 10th Dec.
Probably any player that gets knocked out in the last 16 or Quarter-Finals.

Early team selection with a few blanks:
-------------Ortega
Lewis--Akanji--Laporte--Gomez
--------------Rodri
----De Bruyne---Gundogan
Mahrez-----Haaland-------Foden
 
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We'll field a decent first XI.

If Portugal win their group, Portugal and Switzerland cannot both progress beyond the last 16, and Portugal and Spain can't both reach the semis. One from Argentina and Netherlands can't reach the semis either. England has about 30% chance to make it to the last 4.

IF Pep gives the players who go out after the quarters 8 full days to recover, they'll train with the team 2-3 days before Liverpool, which is probably enough to make the squad at least.

So, we are highly likely to have 3 from the 5 CBs (Akanji, Ake, Laporte, Dias and Stones) and one from Rodri/Bernardo.

Ortega,
Akanji
Laporte/Dias
Ake
Gomez
Rodri/Bernie
Gundo
KDB
Mahrez
Haaland
Palmer

If England loses vs Senegal/France, Walker and Phillips must be available, for they haven't played since early October and should be fresh. Grealish hasn't played a lot, too.

Worst case scenario for City: England vs Portugal/Spain in the last 4. Bernie/Rodri, Laporte/Cancelo and Dias, Stones, maybe Foden will need probably 10 days off and will miss Liverpool and Leeds.
 
Klopp waiting to see how his players get on at the world cup before deciding how much to moan about the unfairness of the scheduling.

I hope we smash them, give them an early manc Christmas present of a dose of reality.

Though I have to say I'm not looking forward to the idea of several thousand dipper fans rummaging around our city centre in the run up to Christmas. I finish for the year that day and supposedly going round town to soak up the Christmas atmosphere and do some shopping, could be a day to avoid with the self-styled light fingered funny men of craic being on the lash..
 
its a Barm said:
Why should any world cup players get time off there not playing anymore games than they would in a normal season, probably less.
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We've played only 14 league games and only one LC game so far. We'll play more games from January to June than in previous seasons, if we go deep in the cups. The fixture list will be mad. Players will get time off after the WC. Otherwise, they may feel tired in April/May...
 
bluetonium said:
Klopp waiting to see how his players get on at the world cup before deciding how much to moan about the unfairness of the scheduling.

I hope we smash them, give them an early manc Christmas present of a dose of reality.

Though I have to say I'm not looking forward to the idea of several thousand dipper fans rummaging around our city centre in the run up to Christmas. I finish for the year that day and supposedly going round town to soak up the Christmas atmosphere and do some shopping, could be a day to avoid with the self-styled light fingered funny men of craic being on the lash..
Click to expand...
I doubt that many dippers will be coming for anything but the match.

They’ll know the mood of City fans towards them currently !!
 
Ortega, Gomez, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Mahrez and Haaland are all nailed on to start.

Any players that go out in the last 16 will be in with a shout of starting too I'd have thought.
 
its a Barm said:
Why should any world cup players get time off there not playing anymore games than they would in a normal season, probably less.
Click to expand...
There’s a reason why at the end of the season we are always getting stronger as others flounder. I think that is down to how pep manages the workload of players and he always seems in favour of giving players extra rest when he can than other managers.
 
After the Portugal-Switzerland match on Tuesday either Akanji or Cancelo/Dias/Bernardo will be available.
 
Bluesince1979 said:
I missed 76 as born in 74 so for all those trophyless years i DREAMED of winning the LC
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Same for me born 72. I was nearly 40 before I saw us win anything! But you know what? I wouldn’t change it for the world, it was character-building. City fans of our generation are bomb-proof and good humoured and natured to boot. The same cannot be said for the redtops.
 
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