Manchester City shift gears chasing League Cup glory
MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will not retain their Premier League title barring a spectacular Liverpool implosion, but the form book suggests the Catalan could still end up celebrating a trophyladen season.
The defending league champions have won nine of their past 10 games in all competitions, their only defeat since early December coming when they were reduced to 10 men and lost 3-2 at Wolves.
The visit of Crystal Palace on Saturday is followed by a trip to face Sheffield United before they take on Fulham at home in the fourth round of the FA Cup and Manchester United in the second leg of their League Cup semi-final.
City hold a 3-1 lead in that tie in a competition in which they have not lost a game since October 2016, an extraordinary run that makes Guardiola’s side overwhelming favourites to win the League Cup for a third consecutive season.
Guardiola, whose side won a domestic treble last season, will be relishing the return of influential centre-half Aymeric Laporte following a knee injury he suffered at the end of August.
The French international’s absence has been a major factor in Manchester City’s difficulties this season, although he has been making impressive strides in first-team training.
An original prediction of a February return has been brought forward slightly, with Laporte now tipped to be back before the end of the month, possibly in League Cup derby meeting with United on January 29.