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

[MCFC1993]

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

 

[Inter Me Nan]

Just twat them please City.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

So for Liverpool we now have Ortega; Gomez, Txiki, Khaldoon, Rico Lewis; Pep, Gundogan, De Bruyne; Palmer, Haaland, Mahrez.

 

[Bluesince1979]

My lads a mascot. Smash em blues

 

[LongsightM13]

Kev and Gundo in the team plus Erling, lovely

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Kev and Gundo in the team plus Erling, lovely

It's coming home. ;)

 

[Bluesince1979]

It's coming home. ;)

In a very small way, the league cup is my favourire trophy.

For years i was desperate to win it. And for all those baron trophy years, if we win it in feb, i know its not a trophyless season

 

[blue b4 the moon]

In a very small way, the league cup is my favourire trophy.

For years i was desperate to win it. And for all those baron trophy years, if we win it in feb, i know its not a trophyless season

Love the LC, thought it would be the only thing I'd ever see us win.

 

[Brunswick Blue]

A lot will depend on what state the players are in on their return from the world cup. We have to remember more than half our first team are still in it.

 

[alexmcity]

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.