It will be known this Tuesday, January 23, the first finalist of the 2017/2018 edition of the League Cup of England. At the Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol City will host Manchester City. The match is scheduled to start at 17:45 (Brasília time).
In the first game, City won 2-1 at home, thereby securing their place in the decision against Arsenal v Chelsea winner in the event of a new win or tie. Home owners must overcome the Premier League team by the minimum score or, if they suffer a try, by two or more goals difference. If they score 2 to 1, they will force the extension to take place. If the extra time is 0-0, the setting will take place through a penalty shootout.

Bristol City’s recent performance

Without the privileges of elite division teams, Bristol City opened their campaign in the League Cup, which is the first competition to have a champion in the 2017/2018 season, with a home win over Plymouth for 5 0.
Watford was their first Premier League rival. In the second round of the tournament, playing at the home of the rival, won by 3 to 2. In the sequence, had new rival of the First Division of the English Championship. In Bristol, he made 2-0 at Stoke.
The series of victims of the English football elite has not stopped. Crystal Palace, also in Bristol, took 4 to 1 and was out of contention. However, it was in the quarterfinals that Bristol City achieved its most expressive result. Also in his dominions, dispatched the powerful Manchester United by 2 to 1.
In the first game against Manchester City, came to surprise. He went ahead with a goal from Reid on a penalty kick at the end of the first half. It took the tie to the 10 minutes of the final step in try pointed out by De Bruyne. He managed to hold on to equality until the very end of the match, but eventually took the second goal, Aguero, already in the extras.
The defeat only confirmed the downfall of the team, which is in the Championship, the Second Division of the English Championship, and struggles to reach the Premier League. Bristol can not win for six games. He suffered five defeats in a row and on Friday, January 19, broke the series by drawing away from Derby 0-0.
Still in the zone of classification for the First Division of England. With 48 points (13 wins, nine draws and six defeats) he is fifth after 28 of the 46 rounds. In the Championship, the first two places guarantee direct access. Whoever gets between the third and sixth places has the opportunity to play a playoff that places his winner in the Premier League.

The current form of Manchester City

City also suffered a recent crash. They lost their unbeaten record in the Premier League against Liverpool (4 to 3). But it quickly showed reaction power. On Saturday, January 20, at home, he beat Newcastle 3-1.
He came in at 65 points (21 wins, two draws and one defeat), keeping ahead of the tournament with a comfortable 12-point lead over Manchester United.
What has left the fans and certainly coach Pepe Guardiola very worried is the large number of injuries. Defenders Vincent Kompany (nine games in the 2017/2018 English Championship without a goal) and Benjamin Mendy (four games, no goal) are handed over to the medical department; Fabian Delph (16 games, one goal), Phil Foden (one match, no goal) and David Silva (20 matches, five goals); and striker Gabriel Jesus (18 games, eight goals).
Although he made an investment of more than R $ 1 billion before the season, the club does not have such a big cast and this ends up limiting Guardiola’s options. City is still trying to get reinforcements before the end of the winter transfer window in February but has not yet succeeded in its quest.
So the Spaniard will have to turn to a competitive team on Tuesday and also have to think about which players to put on the field on Sunday, January 28, when they face Cardiff in the English Cup play-off.

History of the bouts between Bristol City and Manchester City
Before the duels for the League Cup semi-finals, the teams had their paths crossed only once, in the 2006/2006 season, by the FA Cup. Manchester, as a visitor, won by 2-1.

It is quite likely that the game will be quite truncated at first. Knowing their technical limitations, Bristol will hardly leave the City from the start. He must reserve this strategy for the final minutes if the game remains 0-0. Manchester’s team should not force the game too much. More worn due to the large number of tournaments he contests, he will probably play the ball waiting for a good opportunity. It has the technical means and condition for this and, therefore, is the best option for guess. Appears on a 1: 25 bet on Bet365. Success of homeowners pays 15.00 and tie yields 6.00 per invested real. Quotes are valid at 9:56 am EDT on 22/1/2018.