Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the EFL Cup match.
In the previous EFL Cup campaign, both clubs failed to reach this stage, Tottenham Hotspur were eliminated in the first round and Manchester City in the second. Who will advance to the quarter-finals this time?
Tottenham Hotspur
It's hard to believe that it will be Tottenham Hotspur. The team suffered a narrow defeat to Crystal Palace (0:1). The scoreline may be small, but they truly were not better than Crystal Palace: 0.74 vs 0.78 in xG, and 11(3) vs 14(6) in shots. At best, a draw was on the cards for them. Before that, they struggled to secure a win over AZ Alkmaar, despite having 16 shots, five on target. The opponents' attacking potential didn't justify the xG (1.87 vs 0.41), although the score might.
Manchester City
Manchester City have also been content with narrow victories. Their last two were against clear Premier League outsiders: Wolverhampton (2:1) and Southampton (1:0). The scores were not huge, but they dominated the chances. Both opponents were tested 22 times (shots), with 7-8 shots on target respectively—the difference being Southampton's Aaron Ramsdale performing slightly better. However, their Champions League fixture against Sparta Prague between these matches saw them demolish their opponents 5:0 with the same 22 shots. It depends on how things unfold.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City Prediction
Despite Manchester City's current scoring challenges, they still seem stronger. They might not secure a win in regular time, but a draw is well within their grasp.
