Just four teams remain on the road to Wembley ... who will make it to this season's Carabao Cup Final?
The Semi Finals of the Carabao Cup line up this week with a place in this year's delayed End-of-April Final up for grabs ... Semi Finals are a one-off this year (and not two-legged) due to the condensed season. Both ties are live on Sky Sports over two nights.
Here are some interesting bits from the official previews for the two games:
Tuesday 5th January 2021
7:45pm UK - Tottenham Hotspurv Brentford
The first of the two Semi-Finals pits Premier League Tottenham Hotspur against Championship side Brentford. Managed by the joint-most successful manager in the competition's history, Jose Mourinho, Tottenham will be the favourites to progress, but high-flying Brentford have beaten four top-flight sides to reach this stage, and should not be underestimated.
Tottenham saw off another Championship side, Stoke City, to reach the last four, and will be hoping for more of the same here. Spurs saw off Chelsea on penalties to kick-start their Cup campaign back in November and, with the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min in their ranks, have a real opportunity to win the competition for the first time since 2007/08. “It would be massive to reach the Final," said Harry Winks, the boyhood Spurs fan who came through the club's Academy system, and they're now just one step away from doing so.
Brentford have overcome the odds to deservedly book their place in the Semis for the first time in their history. The only remaining EFL club in this season's competition, they have seen off Southampton, West Bromwich Albion, Fulham and, most recently, Newcastle United to get to this point, where they will be looking for a fifth Premier League scalp. Leading the line is Ivan Toney, last season's Sky Bet League One golden boot winner and current Sky Bet Championship top scorer, who is sure to be a threat. "There are very few times players can create totally new history," manager Thomas Frank has said, and this is one of them.
Wednesday 6th January 2021
7:45pm UK - Manchester United v Manchester City
The second Semi Final is a fixture that needs no introduction, the Manchester derby is back, and this time there's a place in the Final on the line. After meeting at the same stage in last season's competition, United will be out for revenge ... but can they stop City as Pep Guardiola's men look to lift the Cup for a fourth year in a row?
Manchester United's incredible away form continued in the Quarter-Finals, as the Reds saw off Everton at Goodison Park with strikes from Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial to reach the last four. Having already seen off Luton Town and Brighton and Hove Albion in earlier rounds, United have now scored eight goals and conceded zero on their road to Wembley so far. "We're one step from the Final and the spirit in the camp is really good," said Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is looking to win his first piece of silverware as manager of the club. With bragging rights also on the line, there's plenty at stake.
Manchester City have made this competition their own in recent years, and breezed past Arsenal in the last round to set up the big Semi-Final clash with United. AFC Bournemouth and Burnley have also been knocked out by the holders in 2020/21, and with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and last season's Alan Hardaker Trophy winner Phil Foden at their disposal, Guardiola's side may take some stopping. "In previous seasons, winning this competition has given us a real boost," the City boss wrote in last season's programme notes for the Final, and there's no doubt that another triumph will be firmly in his sights.
Pre-Match Thoughts
Cavani is the only one out for them ... suspended for that racial tweet.
For us, Jesus and Walker might, just might return as their self-isolation ends on Monday so they can possibly train on Tuesday with the team. Actually that's if we are counting the ten days from Christmas Day but could very well be that they knew of it were self-isolation from a day before in which case they could be joining back the training tomorrow itself - and of course if it's just the positive test they got without any symptoms and and fine and healthy otherwise.
Others side-lined due to Covid would remain in self-isolation and can possibly return for the next cup tie at the weekend, i.e. Torres, Doyle, Garcia and Ederson.
Needless to say, this is the biggest game of this week ... not Chelsea and not Birmingham City
Am scratching my head a little as to how United are as as high up in the league as they are but they certainly are in very good form plus are sure to get a penalty or two plus a few other decisions go their way at Old Trafford so perhaps we will be starting the game as underdogs in a long time given our absences as well.
These are our and their games before and after this cup tie ...
Manchester City Sun 3 - 4:30pm - Chelsea (A) - Premier League
Wed 6 - 7:45pm - This SF (A) - Carabao Cup
Sun 10 - 1:30pm - Birmingham City (H) - FA Cup
Manchester United Fri 1 - 8:00pm - Aston Villa (H) - Premier League Wed 6 - 7:45pm - This SF (H) - Carabao Cup
Sat 9 - 8:00pm - Watford (H) - FA Cup
They clearly have an advantage as far as fixtures and kick-off times are concerned this week. They have had an extra two days rest over us already and played against relatively easy opponents than ours ... plus they're at home all three games this week.
We are against all odds this time ... more rest for them over us, more players out for us vs them, the usual ref bias that we'll witness yet again ... but then we have do them in the past whenever it has mattered and I think we will again. Play like the first half of the first leg of last year's semi at around the same time (or like the first half today) and they'd have no chance and the difference in class would be clear as day for all to see. I hope the boys are motivated after the Chelsea thrashing just now and the game is nothing like the league derby of last month.
C'mon City - this is our cup, let's keep it that way!
If it goes to a shootout When they go to take their pens in the shootout Rashford and Martial will dive when they get in the box first. It's in their nature.
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