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Carabao Cup: Man Utd to march on? Southampton to spring a surprise?

Aymeric Laporte
Manchester City won the EFL Cup four times between 2018 and 2021

The Carabao Cup gets back under way on Tuesday with the competition now at the quarter-final stage.

The EFL Cup began in August with clubs from the Championship, League One and League Two but Charlton travel to face Manchester United on Tuesday as the only non Premier League club in the last eight.

Newcastle also host Leicester on Tuesday, while Nottingham Forest play Wolves and Manchester City travel to Southampton on Wednesday.

BBC Sport looks at what we can expect from all four ties in another compelling week of cup football.

Man Utd to march on?

Tyrell Malacia & Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford (right) has scored in both of Manchester United’s EFL Cup wins this season

Manchester United host Charlton for the first time in almost 16 years on Tuesday evening. They are looking to reach the semi-finals of the EFL Cup for the third time in four seasons, having last won the competition in 2017.

With the Manchester derby following on Saturday, United are likely to make several changes to their starting XI with the likes of Alejandro Garnacho, Scott McTominay and Fred in contention to start.

Nevertheless Erik Ten Hag’s side will go into the contest as firm favourites to progress having won their past seven matches in all competitions, although they will definitely be without the creative influence of Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes who is suspended.

Charlton, who last reached the quarter-finals in 2006 when they were still a Premier League club, sit 12th in League One having won back-to-back games for the first time since October.

The Addicks, who saw off Brighton in the last round, have not won at Old Trafford since 1986.

And this fixture appears a tough assignment for a club that moved on to a fifth manager in two years when Dean Holden took charge at The Valley in December.

Newcastle aim to bounce back

Newcastle welcome Leicester City to St James’ Park on Tuesday. They are looking to reach the last four of the competition for the first time since losing the 1976 final.

Eddie Howe’s high-flying Magpies will be looking to bounce back from their shock FA Cup third-round defeat at Sheffield Wednesday, having previously only lost once this season, to Liverpool at Anfield in August.

Bruno Guimaraes, Miguel Almiron, Kieran Trippier and Allan Saint-Maximin could all feature for the hosts after a number of the club’s fringe players failed to impress on Saturday at Hillsborough.

Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester side are on a mixed run of form with their narrow win over Gillingham in the FA Cup at the weekend ending a run of three consecutive Premier League losses that included a 3-0 home defeat by Newcastle.

The Foxes are still without James Maddison, who Newcastle tried to sign last summer. They are also likely to rotate several first-team regulars back into their side with Harvey Barnes, Wout Faes and Timothy Castagne all rested against the Gills.

Brennan Johnson
Brennan Johnson scored twice in Nottingham Forest’s fourth-round win over Blackburn

Forest keen to make amends

Nottingham Forest won this competition four times between 1978 and 1990 during a golden period for the club when they were also twice crowned champions of Europe.

Premier League survival appears to be their main priority having returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence but they will also be keen to make amends for Saturday’s humbling 4-1 defeat at Championship strugglers Blackpool in the FA Cup.

Wolves travel across the Midlands in search of a first semi-final appearance since 1980, the year they last lifted the trophy after beating Forest in the final.

The visitors appear to have been galvanised by Julen Lopetegui’s arrival as manager in November and the Spaniard will almost certainly make several changes to the team that earned a creditable FA Cup draw at Liverpool on Saturday.

Saints to spring a major surprise?

The Premier League’s bottom club Southampton will hope new signing Mislav Orsic can help them deliver an upset when they host eight-time winners Manchester City at St Mary’s on Wednesday.

The Croatia international has been brought in to provide more attacking guile to Nathan Jones’ team who are also likely to be encouraged by their FA Cup victory at Crystal Palace.

However, the home team will need to be at their disciplined best at the other end of the pitch if they are to produce a shock.

Pep Guardiola’s side recorded a thumping 4-0 win against the Saints in October and have had a stranglehold on the competition in recent times winning it four years on the trot until last season.

The City boss was also able to rest the likes of John Stones, Kevin de Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Erling Haaland as they cruised past Chelsea on Sunday to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Sourced From BBC

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