Manchester United and Manchester City's EFL Cup Semifinal odds, along with a predicted pick, for the fixture set for January 6.
Manchester City and Manchester United Prepare for EFL Cup Semifinal Showdown
The highly-anticipated EFL Cup semifinal between Manchester City and Manchester United is set to take place on January 6, 2021. Both teams are expected to field full-strength sides for this crucial match, which will determine who will face either Tottenham or Brentford in the final of the 2020-21 season.
Phil Foden, Manchester City's dynamic attacking midfielder, could deliver an important contribution in the semifinal due to his speed, creativity, and ability to score crucial goals. Although he may not have been highlighted compared to other star players of the team, Foden's direct play and goalscoring ability make him a valuable asset.
Manchester City have been in top form recently, having won 21 matches in a row and regaining their momentum with their recent dismantling of Chelsea. The team has an average possession of 59.8%, compared to Manchester United's 52.3%. City have also managed to keep their opponents' midfield stars quiet, denying them space, and have dominated possession in previous meetings.
Manchester United, on the other hand, have been successful against City on the counter-attack in recent years, with Paul Pogba driving from midfield, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial running in behind. The team has scored 33 goals so far in the Premier League, one more than their rivals. However, they have significant questions over their defensive solidity, being mid-table in expected goals against this term.
Odds for the match favor Manchester City, who have won the EFL Cup in four of the last five seasons. The odds at FanDuel, as of Jan 5, are: Man Utd +1 (-135), Man City -1 (+280), total goals over 2.5 (-136), and under 2.5 (-104). A tempting bet could be De Bruyne to score in a City win at +370.
Kevin De Bruyne started as the central forward against Chelsea and could play in a similar role against Manchester United. De Bruyne has a history of exposing Manchester United's weakness in midfield in Manchester derbies.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign as Manchester United manager was in question a few weeks ago, but a recent run of good results has improved their position in the Premier League title race. Solskjaer has a relatively good record against Pep Guardiola, with United being unbeaten in their last three Manchester derbies and Solskjaer winning three out of six encounters since taking the job permanently.
The team that keeps their opponent's midfield star quietest will have a great chance of victory. City have managed 58% of their shots inside the area, while Manchester United have 56%. City have also received 22 yellow cards and no red cards so far in the Premier League, while Manchester United have received 26 yellow cards and 1 red card.
In terms of individual accolades, Bruno Fernandes has won the Man Utd Player of the Month award for January, February, March, June, July, August, and December of 2020. Fernandes or De Bruyne could deliver a moment of magic that could be decisive in the match.
Backing City's moneyline price is considered the best value bet for this match, as they have been fluid with the ball and have denied opponents space without it. City have an understat expected points of 31.43, while Manchester United have an understat expected points of 26.70.
The winner of this semifinal will take a significant step towards lifting the EFL Cup and will be one step closer to a potential domestic double. The match promises to be an exciting and closely-fought encounter, with both teams eager to secure a place in the final.
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