Manchester City and Brentford clash at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night with a place in the Carabao Cup semifinal at stake.
The Cityzens have won the Carabao Cup four times under Pep Guardiola, but haven’t made it beyond the last eight since their most recent triumph in 2021. Having endured a rare trophyless campaign last term, they will be eager to rediscover that winning feeling at Wembley.
City enter their quarterfinal in terrific form, too, with the weekend victory at Crystal Palace marking a fifth successive victory in all competitions. They will be expected to make that six on the spin when they host a Brentford side who have won just one of their last five.
Brentford’s dire away record means toppling City on their own patch will be extremely difficult to do—the Bees having lost seven of their eight Premier League matches on the road—and have already been beaten by them this season, losing 1–0 at the Gtech Community Stadium in early October.
Here’s Sports Illustrated’s preview to the game.
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Man City vs. Brentford Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions)
Man City
Brentford
Crystal Palace 0–3 Man City – 14/12/25
Brentford 1–1 Leeds – 14/12/25
Real Madrid 1–2 Man City – 10/12/25
Tottenham 2–0 Brentford – 06/12/25
Man City 3–0 Sunderland – 06/12/25
Arsenal 2–0 Brentford – 03/12/25
Fulham 4–5 Man City – 02/12/25
Brentford 3–1 Burnley – 29/11/25
Man City 3–2 Leeds – 29/11/25
Brighton 2–1 Brentford – 22/11/25
Country
TV channel/live stream
United Kingdom
Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Ultra HD, Sky GO, Sky GO Extra, NOW TV
United States
Paramount+
Canada
DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada
Mexico
Disney+ Premium Mexico
Jérémy Doku missed the weekend win through injury. / Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images
Guardiola is expected to make changes from the victory over Palace at the weekend, but there are a number of squad members he will be unable to call upon.
Rodri and Mateo Kovačić remains absent in the engine room and are joined by John Stones, while Jérémy Doku was an absentee in the victory at Selhurst Park due to a leg injury. It remains to be seen if the Belgian is available to return.
Guardiola will also be without Omar Marmoush and Rayan Aït-Nouri for the Brentford game and coming weeks as the duo have departed for the Africa Cup of Nations to represent Egypt and Algeria respectively.
City will make changes, especially in defence. / FotMob
Man City predicted lineup vs. Brentford (4-1-4-1): Trafford; Lewis, Khusanov, Aké, Gvardiol; González; Bobb, Silva, Reijnders, Savinho; Haaland.
Igor Thiago will be key for Brentford. / Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images)
Keith Andrews is also missing players on international duty, with Dango Ouattara and Frank Onyeka both journeying to AFCON. Brentford’s absentee list also includes the injured Fábio Carvalho, Joshua Dasilva and Anotni Milambo, while Reiss Nelson is a doubt.
Brentford will welcome back Kevin Schade, who missed the weekend draw with Leeds United through suspension. The German, alongside Igor Thiago and Mikkel Damsgaard, will be key to unlocking a rotated City backline.
Brentford will name their strongest XI. / FotMob
Brentford predicted lineup vs. Man City (3-5-2): Kelleher; Ajer, Collins, Van den Berg; Kayode, Yarmolyuk, Henderson; Damsgaard, Lewis-Potter; Thiago, Schade.
Even a much-changed City lineup should clinch a spot in the semifinal of the Carabao Cup with a fairly comfortable win, especially with the red-hot Erling Haaland likely to lead the line due to Marmoush’s absence.
Brentford could unnerve a rotated City defence, but they have failed to score in three of their past four away days and continually struggle on their travels. They are unlikely to pull off an incredible upset.
Prediction: Man City 3–0 Brentford
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