Manchester City faces Brentford in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals tonight.
The home team aims for its sixth consecutive win across all competitions and a spot in the semi-finals. Pep Guardiola has a strong history in this tournament, having won it four times at the Etihad.
Brentford has yet to secure a major trophy but has made it to the quarter-finals four times in the last six seasons.
Manchester City vs Brentford – Match Preview and Team News
- Date: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
- Kick-off: 19:30 GMT
- Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Manchester City team news
Both teams will miss players due to the Africa Cup of Nations. Omar Marmoush (Egypt) and Rayan Ait-Nouri (Algeria) will not play.
Injuries keep John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, and Jeremy Doku off the field. Doku has a leg injury and will be out for two to three weeks. Despite the chance for a semi-final, City might rotate their squad. James Trafford is likely to get a rare start in goal.
Brentford team news
Brentford also loses players to AFCON, with Dango Ouattara and Frank Onyeka joining the tournament. The return of Kevin Schade from suspension is timely, especially with Ouattara missing.
Keith Andrews will continue without Fabio Carvalho, Antoni Milambo, Josh Dasilva, and Reiss Nelson due to injuries.
Form
Manchester City
Manchester City has shown strong performance with five wins in a row across competitions. This includes a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League and a comfortable 3-0 win against Sunderland and Crystal Palace.
Phil Foden’s resurgence has played a key role in this success, scoring six times in his last four Premier League matches.
Brentford
Keith Andrews has made a decent start at Brentford despite a tumultuous summer. The Bees currently sit 15th in the Premier League but are seven points clear of relegation. However, a three-match winless streak has raised concerns, especially after a disappointing draw with Leeds.
Igor Thiago has been instrumental for Brentford, scoring 11 goals in the Premier League, second only to Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Predicted lineups
Manchester City predicted XI: Trafford; Khusanov, Dias, Ake, O’Reilly; Lewis, Reijnders, Silva; Bobb, Savinho; Haaland.
Brentford predicted XI: Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, Van den Berg, Henry; Henderson, Yarmoliuk; Schade, Damsgaard, Lewis-Potter; Thiago.
How to watch Manchester City vs Brentford
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on NOW TV, Sky GO, SKY GO Extra, Sky Ultra HD, and Sky Sports Main Event.
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