The 2022 Fifa World Cup came to an end on Sunday, and it will not take long for football fans to be entertained again as Manchester City welcome Liverpool for the EFL Cup round of 16 at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, UK, on Thursday.
Club football returns after a long break due to the world cup spectacle, which saw Argentina deny France from defending their title after beating them 4-2 on penalties.
Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola are expected to go at each other as most of their star players will be available for selection and unleash some of their academy players.
For the Reds, players such as Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Thiago Alcantara will be available after not featuring in the world cup. Striker Darwin Nunez is also likely be available for selection after making an early exit in the tournament with Uruguay.
Despite Brazilian duo Alisson Becker and Fabinho returning to training after crashing out of the world cup in the quarterfinals, the two will unlikely be available for selection, alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson, who also exited in the quarterfinals with England.
Meanwhile, the Citizens will likely see goal machine Erling Haaland, Ilkay Gundogan, Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne start the match for City.
Goalkeeper Ederson will also likely start at goal after making just one appearance for Brazil in Qatar, with Alisson picked over him throughout the tournament.
Players unlikely to start but may be available following their early return from Qatar are Phil Foden, Nathan Ake, Rodri, Bernado Silva and Aymerc Laporte.
Argentina’s Julian Alvarez will miss the encounter, together with France’s Ibrahima Konate, after playing in the world cup final.
Predicted Manchester City XI: Ederson, Lewis, Charles, Laporte, Gomez, De Bruyne, Phillips, Gundogan, Mahrez, Haaland, Palmer.
Predicted Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Gomez, Robertson, Thiago, Elliott, Bajcetic, Salah, Firmino, Nunez.
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