‘Villans no hope if we hit form’
ASTON VILLA have been warned by Kevin De Bruyne that they are doomed if Manchester City hit top form today.
City have hammered the relegation-threatened Villans twice in the league this term, scoring nine and conceding just one.
Dean Smith’s side are 22/1 outsiders in their bid to prevent Pep Guardiola lifting the Carabao Cup for a third successive season – and De Bruyne knows why.
He said: “People will call us favourites – and, if we play at our best level, then I would expect us to lift the trophy.
“But this is a final and Villa’s fans will turn up just as hopeful as ours that they can achieve something special.
“I don’t think our previous results against Villa mean anything, going into this game. When they drew Leicester in the semifinals, the same people, who say we are favourites, will have said Leicester would reach the final over two legs – that isn’t how cup competitions work.
“Our focus is on what we do to make sure that, when we line up, we are as ready as we can be to win that game and bring the trophy home for our fans.”
De Bruyne insists City have set their sights on a Champions League, FA
Cup and Carabao Cup treble after losing their Premier League title to Liverpool.
He added: “Going to Wembley and lifting a trophy so early in the season can push you on for what’s to come and obviously momentum plays a huge part in that.
“We are still in three competitions – and we will try to win all three.”