- Pep Guardiola has won four EFL Cups since taking over at Manchester City.
- Liverpool are the reigning EFL Cup holders after beating Chelsea in last season’s final.
- These two clubs finished first and second in the 2021-22 Premier League.
England’s two elite clubs square off in the Round of 16 of the EFL Cup on Thursday, as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City welcome Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium. The winners will book their place in the last eight.
Man City are the favorites on home soil, but the Reds have already beaten City twice this season. In fact, Liverpool are unbeaten in five against the current Premier League champions.
This will no doubt be a great match between two of the best teams in the current soccer world standings, and we give you our Man City vs Liverpool prediction and picks in this in-depth soccer betting preview.
Manchester City vs Liverpool Odds
| Manchester City | Draw | Liverpool |
|---|---|---|
| -110 | +260 | +300 |
With this one taking place at the Etihad, Manchester City are the odds-on favorites to get the win on home turf. The Manchester giants are priced at just -110 to prevail in normal time.
Liverpool have not quite been themselves so far, but they have beaten City in the FA Community Shield and in the Premier League game at Anfield this season.
The Reds are available at +300, while the draw in the 90 is being priced at around +260.
Manchester City vs Liverpool Information
- EFL Cup
- Etihad Stadium
- Thursday, 22 Dec 2022, 3:00 PM EDT
- How to watch: ESPN+
Manchester City
Manchester City have won this trophy on multiple occasions. Under Pep alone, City have racked up four EFL Cup wins. The last of those triumphs was against Tottenham Hotspur in the 2021 final.
Can the Citizens Make Home Advantage Count?
Man City booked their place in the Round of 16 with a comfortable 2-0 win over Chelsea at the Etihad in November. Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring in the second half, with Julian Alvarez grabbing a second shortly after.
This will be City’s first competitive match since falling to a shock home defeat to Brentford in the Premier League before the 2022 FIFA World Cup break. A whole host of their stars went on to compete in the finals in Qatar.
Man City resume their season in second place, five points behind surprise leaders Arsenal. Guardiola’s men have won ten of their 14 league matches, scoring 40 times and picking up 32 points.
After the loss to Brentford, Man City will be eager to get back to winning ways in this one before their Premier League campaign returns with a trip to Leeds United next week.
The soccer schedule for City is now relentless from now until the end of the 2022-23 season, and the Citizens are still fighting for every trophy on offer. Our Man City vs Liverpool prediction is below.
Manchester City Projected Lineup
- Ortega
- Lewis
- Katongo
- Charles
- S. Gomez
- Palmer
- Gundogan
- De Bruyne
- Mahrez
- Haaland
- Borges
Manchester City Injuries
No current injuries.
Liverpool
Liverpool are the defending EFL Cup holders after their win over Chelsea in last term’s Wembley Stadium final.
They beat the Blues on penalties in both domestic finals, finished runners-up in the Premier League and reached the UEFA Champions League final in what was an extraordinary 2021-22 campaign.
Can the Holders Cause an Upset?
However, the Reds have struggled to build on that this season, as Klopp’s boys find themselves a staggering 15 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal in seventh. In the league, the Reds have won six, drawn four and lost four.
Securing Champions League football for next season is imperative, but the battle for a top-four place looks tougher than ever. Cup competitions could be the priority for Liverpool this year.
In the previous round, last season’s winners edged past EFL League One side Derby County at Anfield. After being held to a goalless draw by the third-tier outfit, the Merseysiders went on to win 3-2 on penalties.
In spite of their woes, Liverpool head into this cup tie in solid form. Since losing at home to Leeds in the league, Klopp’s side have won four league and cup games in a row, seeing off Napoli, Tottenham, Derby and Southampton.
Can the holders get past City in the Round of 16 on Thursday? Find out who we are backing in our Man City vs Liverpool prediction.
Liverpool Projected Lineup
- Kelleher
- Ramsay
- J. Gomez
- Phillips
- Tsimikas
- Elliott
- Bajcetic
- Oxlade-Chamberlain
- Salah
- Firmino
- Carvalho
Liverpool Injuries
- Arthur
- Diaz
- Jota
- Keita
Manchester City vs Liverpool Pick and Prediction
It is never a dull affair when these two giants lock horns. The pair have struck up quite the rivalry in recent years, treating us to two memorable Premier League title battles and several thrilling matches.
Man City have been the top dogs in this competition since Pep arrived in England, but the Manchester side had to sit back and watch Liverpool lift the trophy at Wembley back in February.
On paper, there is not a lot to split England’s top two clubs, but home advantage could give Man City the slight edge.
Both soccer teams are likely to play their part in an entertaining cup tie, so check out the tempting soccer betting odds of +160 for the home win and over 2.5 goals.
Another one of the best soccer bets today in terms of value is the Man City win and both teams to score, which is available at +225.
Soccer Pick: Manchester City (+225)
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