Carabao Cup Semi-Finals Preview

England's third standing cup competition continues on Wednesday night, after Tottenham defeated Chelsea by a score of 1-0 during the first leg of their Semi-Finals match-up.

Manchester City and lower league side Burton Albion will now battle it out for the right to meet their fellow English mates, and the opportunity to collect a precious trophy during the 2018-2019 campaign. 

Manchester City vs Burton Albion
Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England 
1-9-2019 - 2:45 pm ET - ESPN+

The reigning Carabao Cup champions start their journey to defend their title under the Etihad lights, after a successful FA Cup showing over the weekend, the mighty Citizens match up with another one of England's lower division opponents.

Manchester City are starting to find their rhythm after a forgettable run of form during the month of December. The defending Premier League champions have started the new year on a positive note, handing Liverpool their first defeat of the season, while placing a 7-0 final score-line on a severally over matched Rotherham United team this past Sunday.

Pep Guardiola has his eyes set on lifting four cups during this challenging season, currently 2nd in their domestic standings, the Sky Blues are also apart of Champions League, FA and Carabao Cup competitions.

Pep's Aggressive Approach

Guardiola is rumored to send out a powerful starting eleven ahead of Wednesday's contest, wanting to put this opening match to bed, then giving the Spaniard an option to rest key players during their trip to Burton for the final leg.

Sergio Agüero is set to fill his normal center-forward role against the lower level side, City's all-time leading scorer enter's this cup encounter having produced 15 total goals in all competitions. The Argentine striker should have a field-day against this Burton Albion side, who will rarely see the type of threatening skills Agüero provides while in the attacking half of the pitch.

Raheem Sterling, Riyhad Mayrez and Leroy Sane seem the most logical choices to handle the Citizens winger responsibilities. Man City shredded Rotherham United down the flanks over the weekend, helping place 7 goals on the Championship representatives. The home side expect another stellar performance from their set of attacking talents who have combined for 21 goals and 16 assists during the current campaign, also giving them great value "As Anytime Goal Scorers", as each attempt to hit the back of the net during their time on the pitch.

Man City's Recovering Rotation

The hosts have recovered from an early season injury bug, with up too 10 players missing time since they returned to play over the Summer. City are nearly back to full strength with only Claudio Bravo, Benjamin Mendy and Eliquim Mangala missing out on Wednesday nights match, giving the Citizens a full compliment of players as they attempt to collect silverware on multiple fronts.

Manchester City have been flying high while at the Etihad this season, the hosts are averaging a staggering 2.7 goals per match over their first 32 home events, while placing a minimum of 17.7 shots on goal, as they continue to keep opposing keepers on their toes. 

Burton Albion make the trip to Manchester with the longest of odds to shock the Premier League side, after making a stunning appearance at this stage of events, it will be hard to see this Cinderella act continue as the clock strikes midnight. 

Nigel Clough has drawn rave reviews from his peers based on his managerial performance up too this point in the proceedings, after dispatching of Aston Villla, Burnley, Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough along the way, the former England international also has his team in contention for promotion into the Championship League, as he continues to build a strong resume as one of the rising stars in the profession. 

The Brewers Front-Men

Marcus Harness gets the privilege of leading the visitors front-line while at the Etihad. The dedicated number-nine is coming off his best day of the season, scoring an important hat-trick against Rochdale his last time out, the young danger-man now gets a tremendous opportunity to shine while on the largest of stages. Harness has shown a true nose for goal, he must finish any chance he gets in order to keep his team in contention of pulling the ultimate shocker.

Irish forward Liam Boyce has been Burton's most reliable goal scorer, having produced 7 through the first half of the current campaign, Boyce has been one of the main factors for the tiny clubs current run,  but after returning from injury over the weekend, his status for Wednesday nights match in still uncertain.  

Scottish midfielder Scott Fraser is also a key member within Clough's tactical alignment, the central figure has been strategically placed within the Brewers 4-2-3-1 formation to help distribute the ball into favorable positions, while finding the back of the net when the opportunity presents itself, with 4 goals in all competitions he also carries a heavy burden to help lift his side to victory.

Burton have the steepest of mountains to climb against this powerful Man City squad. The Brewers have been successful during their travels this season, coming in unbeaten in their last 4 matches including a 4-0 victory their last time out, which should give them added confidence as they match-up with one of the best teams on the European landscape.

Manchester City vs Burton Albion - Match Prediction

The remaining Carabao Cup semi-final clash pits teams from England's first and third division, with the odds to advance clearly in Man City's advantage, the chance to view a lop-sided final score seems to be the most logical of outcomes.

Manchester City are truly clicking on all cylinders, after losing two straight matches for the first time in two years, the Citizens have reeled off 3 straight victories, while scoring an average of 4 goals per match over that successful run of play. Pep Guardiola seems content to keep that winning streak in tact, with the lure of adding more silverware too his already impressive collection, I expect the Spaniard to have a ruthless game plan in tact for the tiny League One side.

Match Prop

Manchester City - To Win and Over 3.5 Goals  -135 / 1.74 

Burton Albion must be prepared to defend for a full 90 minutes, with the Citizens certain to apply unrelenting pressure from the opening whistle, the Brewers must absorb Man City's attack while looking to spring their own form of threats into motion. The over-whelming underdogs will be limited in their overall options going forward, looking to strike quickly on the counter attack, using set piece opportunities or even a penalty kick, as they attempt too break down this world class unit while on their own pitch. 

I expect another case of one-way traffic as the match progresses, with Man City spending the bulk of this fixture on Burton's side of field. I anticipate the Citizens will win the possession battle by a 2/3 margin, while creating at least 20 shots on goal, with a minimum of 4 targets hitting the back of the net in a more than convincing first leg affair.

Manchester City vs Burton Albion - Betting Tips 

Over  1.5  -125 / 1.8 - Total 1st Half Goals 
Over  4  -110 / 1.91 - Total Full Time Goals 
Manchester City  -1.25  -115 / 1.87 - 1st Half Spread
Manchester City  -3.25  -120 / 1.83 - Full Time Spread
Manchester City - Team Total Over 3.5  -115 / 1.87 - Goals 

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