The Round of 16 match in the English League Cup between Huddersfield and Manchester City will take place on September 24 at the John Smith's Stadium. Huddersfield vs. Manchester City: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Huddersfield
Lee Grant's side started this tournament two rounds earlier. They narrowly edged past their opponents, both of whom are associated with the Premier League. First, the club overcame Leicester, who had just left the top division, with a 2-2 draw and a 3-2 win on penalties, and then defeated Sunderland, who had just been promoted to the elite, with a 1-1 draw and a 6-5 win on penalties. Last season, the team was eliminated in the Round of 64 of the English League Cup, losing away to Walsall. It's also worth noting that Huddersfield has never progressed beyond the Round of 16 in this cup in this century.
- In their last 12 matches in this tournament, the club has secured just 1 victory in regular time (3 draws and 8 losses).
- Both teams scored in 6 of Huddersfield's last 7 English League Cup matches after 90 minutes.
- The team has scored in regular time in their last five matches in this tournament.
Predicted lineup for Huddersfield (4-2-3-1)
Lee Nicholls – Lasse Sorensen, Joe Low, Josh Feeney, Ruben Rosken – Ryan Ledson, David Kasumu – Alfie May, Leo Castledine, Will Alves – Joe Taylor.
Manchester City
In the last 11 years, the Citizens have won this cup six times. However, in the previous four editions, the club has taken a lukewarm approach and only reached the quarter-finals once – in the 2022/23 season, they lost to Southampton 0-2. Last year, Manchester City was eliminated in the Round of 16, losing to Tottenham 1-2.
- The Citizens have lost in regular time in 3 of their last 4 matches in this tournament.
- No more than three goals have been scored in 6 of Manchester City's last 7 English League Cup games after 90 minutes.
- In their last 4 away matches in this tournament, the team has scored only 1 goal in regular time.
Predicted lineup for Manchester City (3-5-2)
Gianluigi Donnarumma – Abdukodir Khusanov, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol – Nico O'Reilly, Tijjani Reijnders, Rodri Hernandez, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden – Jeremy Doku, Erling Haaland.
Defender Rayan Ait-Nouri and Abdukodir Khusanov, midfielder Mateo Kovacic, and forward Rayan Cherki will miss the game due to injuries.
Referee
Michael Salisbury (England)
Matches – 16 (Premier League and English League Cup, 2024/25–2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 44;
Average yellow cards per match – 2.7;
Red cards shown – 4;
Average fouls per match – 22;
Penalties – 13%.
Huddersfield vs. Manchester City: Match Prediction
The hosts represent only the third tier of English football. Nevertheless, I believe the Citizens are unlikely to aim for a large-margin victory. Manchester City's schedule is challenging, so expect rotation from Pep Guardiola, which will affect the result.
It's worth noting that in their last 7 English League Cup matches, Manchester City has not secured a large-margin victory. Additionally, the Citizens have failed to win away in this tournament in their last 4 matches. Huddersfield, though weak in national cups, rarely suffers heavy defeats. In their last 17 matches in this tournament, the club has only suffered one defeat by a margin of 3 or more goals.
My prediction: Huddersfield with a +2.5 handicap
* The starting lineup for each team is based on their previous match.
