Julian Alvarez can get on the scoresheet against Luton (Picture: Getty Images)
Manchester City won’t have enjoyed watching Liverpool win the Carabao Cup. Not one little bit.
The Premier League leaders lifted the first trophy of the year for the second time in three seasons when Virgil Van Dijk headed the winner with just two minutes remaining in extra-time to beat Chelsea.
City used to have first dibs on this competition as they won it six times in eight years from 2014 and they greedily hate seeing any silverware rest in another club’s trophy cabinet, let alone the one at Anfield.
But what will really been gnawing away at Pep Guardiola is that it was the Reds’ young, inexperienced youngsters who guided them to injury-time glory, gracefully covering for the absence of multiple starters watching from the Wembley sidelines.
Jurgen Klopp may be faced with a worrying number of Anfield casualties but if his rising starlets can hold the fort while the established favourites recover from their injuries, then Liverpool will stay on track to win the quadruple before he waves goodbye to the Kop.
Pep Guardiola won’t want to relinquish any of the three trophies City won last season (Picture: Getty)
City went close to winning all four major trophies last season and will be fighting tooth and nail to retain their Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League crowns and can take a step in the right direction by moving along the road to Wembley with victory at Luton in their FA Cup fifth-round tie.
Guardiola’s entertainers have not been at their devastating best in recent weeks but have still found ways to beat Bournemouth, Brentford and Everton while salvaging a point against a Chelsea side who were chalk and cheese compared to the Carabao Cup chokers.
Luton are every neutral’s favourites to avoid relegation for the gutsy way they take the game to the opposition, despite their limited resources, and they are a tough nut to crack at Kenilworth Road.
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But City will use Liverpool’s current lustre as inspiration and are 17/20 with Coral, Bet MGM and others to win by more than one goal while Julian Alvarez, expected to return after being rested for the win against the Cherries, is 7/1 with Sky Bet to open the scoring and 21/10 with William Hill to find the net at any time. A 3-1 away win is 10/1 with numerous outlets.
• Bournemouth can beat Leicester, who will surely be focusing on their dwindling Championship lead, by more than one goal in the FA Cup encounter on the south coast at 2/1 with Coral, Sky Bet and StarSports. Newcastle are 6/4 with Betfair to win by the same margin when they tackle Blackburn at Ewood Park.
• Derby, Bolton, Lincoln and Walsall form Tuesday’s Football League yankee.
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