Manchester City host Brentford on Wednesday 17 December (7.30pm) with a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals on the line. It’s a competition City have treated as a priority throughout Pep Guardiola’s reign, and they go into the tie with a clear historical target: a ninth League Cup triumph, which would move them closer to the all-time leaders.
The route to the quarter-finals has been clearly defined for both sides. City have reached the last eight with away wins over Huddersfield Town and Swansea City. Brentford’s run has been more demanding on paper: they’ve beaten Bournemouth, Aston Villa, and then thrashed Grimsby Town 5–0 to book their quarter-final place.
City’s record in this competition is part of the story. They have won the League Cup eight times, including a dominant stretch under Guardiola that featured four consecutive titles from 2017–18 to 2020–21. That history explains why Guardiola is again stressing the value of the opportunity, even with rotation expected.
Team news is significant. Guardiola has confirmed City will be without Jérémy Doku (leg), Rodri (hamstring) and John Stones (thigh), while Omar Marmoush and Rayan Aït-Nouri are away on Africa Cup of Nations duty. He has also said James Trafford will start in goal. Brentford, meanwhile, have confirmed longer-term absences in Fábio Carvalho, Josh Dasilva and Antoni Milambo, while their club preview notes this tie will be played without VAR, adding another layer of unpredictability on a knockout night.
Tactically, the pattern is easy to foresee without guessing specifics. City will expect to dominate possession and territory, but rotation and midfield absences can change the feel of cup ties — especially if Brentford can keep their shape, stay alive to second balls, and make set pieces count. For Brentford, the task is to survive City’s early pressure and turn the game into something messy and tense, where one moment can swing it.
City’s Cup pedigree makes them favourites, but Brentford have already proven in this competition that they can beat Premier League opponents to reach the last eight. With a semi-final place at stake — and no VAR safety net — this has the ingredients for a serious contest rather than a routine evening.
