DEBUTANT WLB contributor Dan Perks (@Hunterchaser22) previews Tuesday night’s League Cup semi-final second leg tussle between Bristol City and Manchester City from Ashton Gate.
Bristol City v Manchester City | Tuesday 23rd January 2018, 19:45 | Sky Sports
Class should prevail eventually in this encounter but don’t expect it to be all plain sailing for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City men in what should be a cracking atmosphere in the West Country on Tuesday night.
If you go by Bristol City’s most recent form you’d give them little hope of breaching the Citizens’ backline. But to do so would be harsh and you have to give Lee Johnson’s side a pass for some of their recent form with the distraction of this League Cup run surely having an impact.
It’s been five games since the Robins scored from open play and it took a spot-kick for the hosts to register in the first leg at the Etihad. We shouldn’t hold that against them though and they’ve had a great first half of the season, which has left the Reds right amongst the play-off positions; they still harbour automatic promotion hopes and impressed with an energised, attacking performance a fortnight ago in the first meeting.
There isn’t much more to say that hasn’t already been about the team Pep’s built; they’ve been fantastic. However, they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five outings and there are signs that they can be got at, never more evident than in their sole defeat of the season at Anfield last weekend.
The chinks in the armoury were on display in the first leg as Bristol City had a real go at the Citizens and there is no reason why that tactic will change this time around.
Man City will likely rest players with a one-goal lead in their back pocket and notable absentees could include David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne. Both are likely to be on the bench as an insurance policy for Pep’s team who are still on course to achieve an unprecedented quadruple.
You have to expect the visitors to have too much for their Championship opposition but the advice is to back the Robins to get on the scoresheet at some point to give the capacity crowd something to cheer about.
Both Teams To Score can be backed at 11/10 with Betfair and looks to be a touch of value.
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Bristol City v Manchester City – Both Teams To Score (11/10 Betfair)
