Manchester United head to Ashton Gate to face Bristol City, the first side from a lower division to eliminate three top-flight clubs in a single League Cup campaign since Bradford City in 2012-13. It’s an EFL Cup Quarterfinal tie, and United are looking to hold on to this specific piece of silverware that they acquired last season.
Lots of big clubs dismiss this competition, but you know that Jose Mourinho is all about it. It gives him more material to boast about in press conferences, so he’ll be fired up for this one, as will Bristol.
Only one lower league team has ever knocked out four top-flight sides in one League Cup campaign and that was Sheffield Wednesday in 1990-91, who eliminated Derby, Coventry and Chelsea and then…in the tournament final…wait for it….Manchester United.
United and Bristol City have met 35 times, with United winning 15. The most high-profile clash between these two sides was the 1909 FA Cup final.
Without further ado, here is our predicted MUFC League Cup starting XI, in the 4-2-3-1 formation:
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Jesse Lingard Henrikh Mkhitaryan Juan Mata
Scott McTominay Paul Pogba
Daley Blind Victor Lindelof Chris Smalling Matteo Darmian
Sergio Romero
Although Mourinho wants to win, he’ll still rotate his squad significantly. Mkhitaryan gets a chance to show off his skills for any possible new suitor in the January transfer window.
Mourinho has declared McTominay to not be “young Scott” anymore, and now a regular first team contender. The time is right now for Ibrahimovic to get his first start since coming back from the ACL injury in April.
Injury report: go to this link
League Cup Odds: Bristol 15/2, United 4/11, extra time draw 19/5
League Cup Prediction: Man United 3, Bristol City 0
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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