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Burton Albion Attempt To Shock Manchester City

It’s almost time to dive head first back into the Carabao Cup and while some fans may be relieved that it’s nearly over, at least we’re getting to the business end of things now. There are just four teams remaining and with a date at Wembley at stake, it’ll be interesting to see how the next four games (two legs of two semi finals) go down. It’s going to be a slog and the two games are very, very different, with Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea on the one hand, and then a true David vs Goliath clash on the other.

Manchester City vs Burton Albion represents all that we know and love about cup football, and the best part is that it’s happening at such a late point in the competition – in our mind, anyway. Everyone thinks they know what is going to happen and the fact that there are two legs means it could easily get ugly, but this is English football that we’re talking about here. People seem to have forgotten that some truly bizarre things have gone down throughout the history of the beautiful game in this country, and that’ll likely continue long into the future.

Pep Guardiola’s side are quite clearly going to be the favourites, and rightly so. Not only have they displayed ruthless efficiency in all competitions this season, but they’re also considered to be one of the best sides in Europe. You don’t acquire that reputation by accident and it certainly doesn’t happen overnight, which is why they’re rightly considered to be the favourites not only to win this tie, but to win the entire competition. If Burton want to mastermind their way past them, then they’ll need to quite literally put in the performance of a lifetime over the course of 180 minutes.

Burton, on the other hand, have been able to bounce back brilliantly from their relegation down to the third tier. They look like a side that is more than capable of making a push for the playoffs, and while Nigel Clough may be a bit hit and miss as a manager in the eyes of some, he certainly knows how to get the job done in the cup. The Brewers are fondly considered to be a second team for many fans around the country and around the local area, and the reason is that it’s just so easy to get behind them.

City’s last six game stretch hasn’t been as dominant as their reputation would lead you to believe. They narrowly edged out their Carabao Cup quarter final against Leicester City on penalties, which served as the ultimate warning sign that they aren’t invincible after all. They followed that up with two shock losses in the Premier League at the hands of Crystal Palace and, you guessed it, Leicester City. Guardiola managed to whip them back into shape, though, registering wins over Southampton and Liverpool before absolutely destroying Rotherham United 7-0 in the FA Cup.

Burton have fared pretty well by comparison, starting off their six game run with a surprise 1-0 win over Middlesbrough which allowed them to book their place in the final four of the competition. They then lost 2-0 to Luton Town which served as a bit of a disappointment, but they gave their promotion hopes a boost with a nice 3-1 triumph over Wycombe. Two draws against Plymouth and Bristol Rovers soon followed, before a 4-0 demolition of Rochdale at the weekend which should give them bucket loads of confidence as they prepare for one of the most intimidating sides in world football.

Based on what we can find, this will be the first meeting between the two clubs. Given that Burton only came into existence in the 50s. That could be a good thing and a bad thing for City, because it feels like they could underestimate just how much Burton want to keep creating history. Perhaps that isn’t particularly fair but that’s what it’s like when you’re at the top of the mountain, whereas Burton are down in League 1. Either way, though, history will be made at the Etihad, and we’re all here for first time match ups.

Following his recent suspension Fabian Delph will likely be making his way back into the starting line-up, and he’ll have a major point to prove to the City faithful. Muric and Ederson will battle it out for a place in the starting XI, with Muric having the League Cup experience on his side. It’s expected that Guardiola will rest a few key players ahead of their Premier League title surge resuming, with Laporte being expected to start. The same can be said of Danilo, as City prepare for – on paper – what should be their easiest game of the season to date.

Stephen Quinn is expected to miss this one which will serve as a bit of a blow for the Brewers, with Liam Boyce being tipped to start after scoring against Rochdale following his return from injury. McFadzean and Sordell are both ruled out with Hesketh being a doubt, and for those of you who know the name Hesketh, you’ll remember that he was the hero against Middlesbrough. Marcus Harness is expected to play a significant role after his performance against Rochdale, and while this is a completely different ball game for him, a goal is a goal at the end of the day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl09PCL1YIg

Manchester City vs Burton Betting Prediction

Now before we get our official prediction out of the way, let’s just state on the record that we legitimately believe Burton are going to give City a good run for their money. They may not be the biggest and they may not be the baddest, but when has that ever stood in the way of an underdog? We can see them coming forward and not sitting back in the first 15 minutes or so, with the intent being to put the pressure on City with an unlikely set piece goal. We don’t think they’ll get it, but they’ll give the Champions of England something to think about for sure.

We can see City scoring just on the stroke of half time, after experiencing a frustrating first 45 minutes. The interval will allow Burton to regroup and gather their thoughts once again, which is the best thing that could happen for them. They’ll go on to put in another great shift, only to fall victim to a second City goal with around 25 minutes remaining. The second leg could be different but we think 2-0 would be a respectable scoreline to take into it, even if it still seems like a huge mountain to climb.