Next: Leicester (Away) - CapitalOne Cup

[AG7]

Leicester City v Manchester City
King Power Stadium, Leicester

Tuesday 17 December 2013
Kickoff: 7:45 PM

Referee: Roger East
Assistants: Steve Child & Darren England
Fourth Official: David Coote

TV Coverage in UK: No LIVE Coverage

However, (an hour long) extended highlights will be shown at the following times on:
Sky Sports 1 HD (Sky 401) and Sky Sports 1 (Sky 407)
Tue 17th Dec: 11:00 PM
Wed 18th Dec: 3:00 AM
Wed 18th Dec: 5:00 PM

----

Have been out and about this weekend, so haven't properly caught up with the other threads yet ... so will leave any post-Arsenal comments to those for now and just use this space to introduce the mid-week game ...

This is the business end of the cup ... eight teams left for the four Quarter Finals. Only one Championship side left out of those eight and we get that, away as well. This is a double edged sword ... while on one hand, it might seem the easiest draw on paper, in reality this could be the toughest opposition as they will come out and play this as Champions League final for them ... and given it's at their ground, their fans will create a hostile atmosphere as well ... after all Manchester City are visiting them, so why not.

Our away form and complacency issues are still kind of unanswered, although WBA away and then Bayern away should have sorted all that but the Saints away game in between there is just not letting me feel extremely comfortable. Overall, however, I do think we'll be one of the final four balls in that draw on Wednesday for the Semi Finals. The way it currently stands, looks like Premier League big-wigs will be playing the semi-finals this year. Well, sort of ... calling Spurs and Scum big-wigs is a bit insulting to the likes of Everton and Newcastle I guess.

Predicted Line-Up:

Now this maybe the business end, and when traditionally teams do start to field more of their first XI, given the opposition and our second stringer's form, I still expect a few young guns in there to start here while first XI is rested ...

Hart
Zaba - Lescott - Boyata - Kola
Rodwell - Garcia
Navas - Jovetic - Lopes
Dzeko

On the bench, however I don't expect too many children, except maybe Guidetti who will be alongside Yaya, Silva, Nasri, Milner, Panti etc. as the gaffer would like to keep some options if it goes upside down for some reason to be able to bail out of any possible tricky situations ... and nothing wrong with it, it is after all the Quarter Final of one of the cups we are fighting for this season.

Score Prediction:

If this was at Etihad, I'd have no reservations in calling for an 8-0 win ... but given this is away, I'll go with a more pessimistic 1-3 win for us.

I love this busy period ... getting to watch City play every 3-4 days is just great. Happy Holidays!
C'mon City!

[Ted Hughes]

Zabba should not play this game under any circumstance.

If Pellegrini plays him, I may have to downgrade to dissatisfied on the Satisfometer, as it would be criminally stupid.

[South Stand Balti]

Hart
Boyata demichelis Lescott kola
Rodwell Garcia
Navas jovetic Milner
Edin

Can't see the Count risking Zaba with Micah injured. Hope to see Guidetti play some part too

[shortagain]

For me Joe Boyata Garcia Lescott Kola Rodwell Milner Jovetic Navas Lopez Dzeko be nice to get through but Fulham more important & if Garcia Milner Dzeko played like they did in Munich we will anyway

[nottsblue]

A qtr final is a big game. One game from semi then a cup final.
Strong side as usual please

Hart
Boyata Lescott Demi Kola
Milner Nasri Fernandinho Garcia
Jovetic Dzeko

Start like a train, get a couple of goals and then slow it down and look to Fulham

A pot is a pot. Lets make sure we win Tuesday and move a step closer to Wembley

[AG7]

Can't wait for this one already ... really want to get to final ... and win it this time, not like our last trip to Wembley.

Given the semi finals are two legged in this cup should make us favourites to get to final no matter who we draw on that ...

[Twobob]

Can't wait for this one already ... really want to get to final ... and win it this time, not like our last trip to Wembley. Given the semi finals are two legged in this cup should make us favourites to get to final no matter who we draw on that ...

I agree mate! Would be great to get some silverware this season.

Only thing that concerns me is the track record of some teams that win it, their season tends to drop off after they've won the cup - almost like a premeture-end-of-season. Don't think we'd suffer from that but its always a mini-worry.

[Goaters 103]

Hart
Boyata demichelis Lescott kola
Rodwell Garcia
Navas jovetic Milner
Edin

Can't see the Count risking Zaba with Micah injured. Hope to see Guidetti play some part too

Go in with that team and we'd need to score 4 to win.

Are we serious about this cup or not?

If so Id hope we play a half-decent side and win, as we are now only 2 rounds from the final and its a Cup we haven't won for nearly 40 years.

[Twobob]

I'm anticipating a similar team to Bayern away, we'll certainly rest our core players but our 'B' team have shown how they can compete with the best.

Only wish we had some cover for Zabba - worked his socks off on Sat as usual and he's one player we really cant afford to lose to injury.

Will be a tough test, not an easy game as they will be really up for it - time to put out away form lessons to practice and get to the Semi's :-)

[Bleed_Blue]

Hart
Boyata demichelis Lescott kola
Rodwell Garcia
Navas jovetic Milner
Edin

I like this formation with Lopes and Guidetti getting some game time

Bytyqi is making some waves, do you think he is playing better than Lopes Doug ?

[phips]

anyone in the US know if this is on television tomorrow?

[Saul Goodman]

I too would like to see Jovetic, Guidetti, and Lopes get a run out. And I totally agree that there's no way Zaba should be in the squad

[Michigan Blue]

anyone in the US know if this is on television tomorrow?

Appears not. No tape delayed broadcast at all this week from what I can see.

beIN Sport has League Cup coverage by the way.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Hart
Boyata demichelis Lescott kola
Rodwell Garcia
Navas jovetic Milner
Edin

I like this formation with Lopes and Guidetti getting some game time

Bytyqi is making some waves, do you think he is playing better than Lopes Doug ?

He may well be in better form than Lopes but there is no way he is a better player and not more likely to play either.I would expect Lopes is back long enough from his injury to get a place on the bench but not to start. I would have Rusnak as a possible before Bytyqi.

[john@staustell]

Milner can stand in for Zabaleta, if anyone's interested!

[lets all have a disco]

Really looking forward to this.

Give Jovetic a run out and lets see if our Munich Heroes can turn over the foxes if we get through i'd like Stoke in the semis at home please.

[Goaters 103]

Really looking forward to this.

Give Jovetic a run out and lets see if our Munich Heroes can turn over the foxes if we get through i'd like Stoke in the semis at home please.

Praying we get through as I want to win this Cup.

In the semis you want to be drawn away, as the home first leads to 2nd leg away which has meant going out the last 2 times weve made the semis in 2010 and 2012.

I hope Pellegrini realises tonight will be tough, with a full stadium and a fired up opponent running their nuts off. Sleepwalk into it and we will get beat - apply ourselves properly, and pick a sensible rather than a mickey mouse one, and we can win.

[Ted Hughes]

Really looking forward to this.

Give Jovetic a run out and lets see if our Munich Heroes can turn over the foxes if we get through i'd like Stoke in the semis at home please.

Praying we get through as I want to win this Cup.

In the semis you want to be drawn away, as the home first leads to 2nd leg away which has meant going out the last 2 times weve made the semis in 2010 and 2012.

I hope Pellegrini realises tonight will be tough, with a full stadium and a fired up opponent running their nuts off. Sleepwalk into it and we will get beat - apply ourselves properly, and pick a sensible rather than a mickey mouse one, and we can win.

We will have to play a lot better than we did v Newcastle imo, or we're out.

[lets all have a disco]

I totally forgot the semi is a two legged affair.

I agree IF we get through play away first.

[Goaters 103]

Really looking forward to this.

Give Jovetic a run out and lets see if our Munich Heroes can turn over the foxes if we get through i'd like Stoke in the semis at home please.

Praying we get through as I want to win this Cup.

In the semis you want to be drawn away, as the home first leads to 2nd leg away which has meant going out the last 2 times weve made the semis in 2010 and 2012.

I hope Pellegrini realises tonight will be tough, with a full stadium and a fired up opponent running their nuts off. Sleepwalk into it and we will get beat - apply ourselves properly, and pick a sensible rather than a mickey mouse one, and we can win.

We will have to play a lot better than we did v Newcastle imo, or we're out.

Agreed Ted. Play like we did at Sunderland and Cardiff - similar experiences to tonight in terms of how the opponent will work their socks off - and we will be out.

I get the need to rest one or two players - Kompany, Zabaleta the key ones for me - but if we fill the team with the likes of Boyata, Garcia, Guidetti and Lopes it is effectively giving up the advantage in class that we have for this tie.

I pick a brutally strong team, establish a lead and then look to drag off those we are trying to protect. However I fear that when I look at our team sheet tonight it will give Leicester City far more of a lift that it will us Blues.