Kevin De Bruyne starts and Sergio Aguero is amongst the substitutes as Manchester City make six changes to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup final.

It is a significant boost for Pep Guardiola, who has been without the Argentine for the previous four games, whilst it was feared De Bruyne might miss the game when he limped off with an ankle injury in last weekend’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.

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Aymeric Laporte, Joao Cancelo, Fernandhino and Raheem Sterling also return to the starting line-up, with the Frenchman replacing the suspended John Stones, who was sent off in the midweek win over Aston Villa.

As expected, Zack Steffen replaces Ederson in goal as he has done throughout this competition.

The Brazilian is joined on the bench by Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Rodrigo and Bernardo, who all come out of the team after starting against Villa.

TEAMs

CITY: Steffen, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Fernandinho (C), Gundogan, De Bruyne, Mahrez, Foden, Sterling.

SUBS: Ederson, Ake, Jesus, Aguero, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Torres, Mendy.

SPURS: Lloris (c), Aurier, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Winks, Lo Celso, Lucas, Son, Kane.

SUBS: Hart, Sanchez, Tanganga, Ndombele, Sissoko, Bale, Bergwijn, Dele, Lamela.

FORMATION

It looks like Guardiola has gone with his preferred 4-3-3 formation, with the main talking point before kick-off, who will lead the line up front?

With Riyad Mahrez and Phil Foden both shining out wide in recent weeks, it could well be Sterling who fills that role, which he has done numerous times throughout his City career.

If that’s the case, the rest of the team should line up as expected, with Kyle Walker and Cancelo at right and left-back respectively and Ruben Dias and Laporte at centre-half.

Fernandinho, who captains the side, will sit deepest in midfield, behind Ilkay Gundogan and De Bruyne.

As always, we’ll have to wait until kick-off to find out exactly how we line up.

Stats and match facts

  • City are looking to win the League Cup for a joint-record eighth time (level with Liverpool), while we could also become just the second team to win the competition in four consecutive campaigns (Liverpool, 1981-1984).
  • This is ours (W7 L1) and Tottenham’s (W4 L4) ninth different League Cup final, with only Liverpool (12) having played in more. Only Liverpool (8) have won more than City, while only Arsenal (6) have lost more than Spurs.
  • In the previous seven seasons, the League Cup has been won by either City (‘14, ‘16, ‘18, ‘19, ‘20) or a José Mourinho side (Chelsea, ‘15, Man Utd, ‘17), with Guardiola’s side lifting the trophy in each of the last three campaigns.
  • This is the second time we have faced Tottenham in a major domestic cup final, with Spurs winning the 1981 FA Cup following a replay. This is the 17th different fixture to have been played in the final of the both the League Cup and the FA Cup.
  • Spurs have won all three of their previous League Cup meetings with City, winning in round three in 1992-93, round four in 2003-04 and the quarter-final en route to winning the trophy in 2007-08.
  • 25 April is the latest a League Cup final has taken place since 1990 (29th April), with Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest beating Joe Royle’s Oldham Athletic 1-0, 31 years ago.
  • Guardiola is looking to become the first manager to win the League Cup in four consecutive seasons. We haven’t lost any of our last 19 ties in the competition, since being eliminated by Manchester United in October 2016.
  • Sergio Agüero scored in City’s League Cup final victories in both 2018 and 2020 and could become the first player to score in three different League Cup finals since Didier Drogba (2005, 2007, 2008).