Red-hot City chase League Cup glory

WITH Manchester City romping away with the Premier League title race, this week’s League Cup quarterfinal action offers Pep Guardiola’s side the chance to remain on course for a domestic treble.

City head to Leicester hoping to reach only the second semifinal of Guardiola’s 18-month reign after losing in the FA Cup last four against Arsenal in April.

The League Cup also provides hope of silverware for the teams trailing in City’s wake.

Holders Manchester United travel to Bristol City to face the only team from outside the top flight still alive in the competition.

Arsenal host London rivals West Ham, while Chelsea take on Bournemouth.

Pep Guardiola’s first experience of Leicester’s frenetic style of play memorably prompted the Spaniard to declare he “didn’t coach tackles” after City were roughed up in a 4-2 defeat at the King Power Stadium 12 months ago.

Guardiola has heeded the lesson of that chastening experience, assembling a City side now more than capable of slugging it out with opponents intent on trying to intimidate them.

They proved that point with a 2-0 win at Leicester earlier this season and will be expected to repeat that victory if Guardiola fields a strong team in early tomorrow morning’s Cup tie following a 4-1 rout of Tottenham on Saturday that made it 16 successive league victories.

With the League Cup final scheduled for February 2018, the tournament gives Guardiola his earliest chance this season to get his hands on the first silverware of his City reign.

Leicester, three-time League Cup winners, last made the final in 2000, but their boss Claude Puel knows how to mastermind a run in the competition after leading Southampton to last season’s fi

nal.