Man City
Man City have won four of their last five in all competitions, including the 2-1 away win at Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.
Brentford
- Brentford have won two and lost three of their last five in the Premier League.
- However, Keith Andrews’ side are no minnows and their progress to the last eight under new boss Keith Andrews has been a major achievement.
Head-to-Head
- City have won six of the last nine meetings between the two sides (D1, L2), with Brentford taking two wins and a draw.
- City won 1-0 away when these sides last met in the Premier League, but Brentford had the better of a exciting 2-2 draw at home in January 2025.
Key Players
- Pep Guardiola’s insistence on dominating the ball, controlling the tempo and rotating his squad effectively always ensures City are a force to be reckoned with in cup competitions.
- Mark Flekken will need to be at his best in goal.
- Igor Thiago, the club’s breakout striker and November’s Premier League Player of the Month, has the pace and touch to punish City if he gets it.
- City’s Rodri is arguably the best midfielder in world soccer right now and his hamstring problem could be a factor for Guardiola in the selection, potentially messing with the balance and control his side have had in the centre of the park.
Betting Insights
- The Citizens are the clear favorites at 1.42 with the Bees around 8.3 to pull off an upset at the home of the Premier League champions.
- Brentford’s structure, pace and set-piece prowess can keep this interesting, however, so it looks worth supporting the over 2.5 goals line here at 1.53.
Prediction
- Man City should have too much quality and firepower for Brentford to handle at the Etihad in Wednesday’s one-off Carabao Cup quarter-final.
- The visitors could make a game of it in Manchester’s damp winter chill.
