Leading up to the English Premier League with a virtually guaranteed place in the second round of the European Champions League, Manchester City have a test for their squad on Tuesday, October 24. By the eighth finals of the 2017/2018 edition of the League Cup of England will face Wolverhampton, or simply Wolves, by the round of 16.
The duel will be held at Ethirad Stadium in Manchester, starting at 17h (BrasÃlia time). In this stage of the tournament the settings are made in a single match. Thus, only the winner survives in the fight for the cup, which was in the hands of Manchester United the previous season. Draw causes the accomplishment of an extension and, if necessary, a decision by penalties.
The recent performance of Manchester City
On Saturday, October 21, also at home, City overcame Burnley, 3-0, extending to 11 their series of consecutive victories started on August 26. The team still has not lost official games of the season. In the total of 13 games played, he won 12 and drew once. His most recent defeat in games with three points was on the penultimate day of the Premier League 2016/2017 version. On April 5, against Chelsea in London, took 2 to 1.
The evolution in the quality of football can be explained by two main reasons. Coach Pepe Guardiola had more time to implement his style of play. This is his second season in charge of the team. It can not be ignored also the value of more than $ 1 billion invested in hiring reinforcements between the end of the previous English Championship the beginning of the current edition of the tournament.
These two pillars allowed the team to score 25 (eight wins and one draw) from the 27 points so far and open a front of five in comparison to Manchester United. The vice-leader was defeated, also on Saturday, by 2 to 1 for the Huddersfield.
The good campaign also extends to the Champions League where, with three victories, City leads the Group F with just three more points to confirm their qualification to the Round of 16 without depending on any other results. You can do this two days in advance.
Competition considered to be of minor importance by practically all teams of the Premier League, the League Cup appears as a challenge to test the cast. With intense schedule, the tournament is usually used by the coaches of the main teams to promote the cast relay. This means that Pepe Guardiola must make a series of modifications in his base team giving opportunity to athletes that normally appear in the reservation bank.
It was so in City’s debut match in the competition. Already for the third round, as a visitor, the team defeated West Bromwich having in its initial formation only three athletes who can be considered starters. One of them, Leroy Sane (nine appearances in the English Championship 2017/2018, five goals), signaled the two goals of the Manchester blues.
For this, Guardiola has practically all his cast available. They will not be able to play only through imposed limitations due to injuries defender Vincent Kompany (three games, no goal) and right-back Benjamin Mendy (four games, no goal).
The current form of the Wolves
Although the table of the Championship, the Second Division of the English Championship, also is intense, the absence of commitments by international competitions makes that teams like Wolverhampton do not use the same strategy and generally appeal to all their available holders aiming to shine in the competition , although the great objective of the season is even to reach the right to dispute the Premier League.
In that direction, the Wolves defeated, at home, the Preston North End on Saturday in the match for the thirteenth round of the Championship. He thus retained the leadership of the 2017/2018 edition of the tournament that takes the top two places directly into the English Premier League and allows teams that are between the third and sixth place to play the remaining two places in the playoffs.
With 29 points (nine wins, two draws and two losses), Wolves have two points ahead of Cardiff. It also presents the best attack among the 24 teams that dispute the Second Division. He rocked the opposing networks 24 times in 13 matches.
By being in the Championship, the Wolves had to make its debut in the League Cup earlier, already in the first phase. At home, he defeated Yeovil. In the sequence, had its first rival of the Premier League. As a visitor, he surprised Southampton by scoring 2-0 and advancing to face Bristol Rovers when he needed an extra time to make it 1-0 after a goalless equalizer in regulation time.
History of the clashes between Manchester City and Wolves
There were 13 opportunities in which teams met face to face. City went on to win in eight matches. Wolverhampton won four times. The tie was recorded only once.
PREDICTION: Manchester City win @ 1.10