The Manchester City lineup that should start the Carabao Cup final

City are bidding for a fourth consecutive Carabao Cup win
City are bidding for a fourth consecutive Carabao Cup win / CARL RECINE/Getty Images
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It's Carabao Cup final time and yes, Manchester City feature in the Wembley showpiece event again.

Pep Guardiola's hopes of an unprecedented quadruple may be over after defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final, but his love affair with English football's secondary cup competition shows no sign of letting up.

The Cityzens are aiming for four in a row against Tottenham, who will be led out in north London by Ryan Mason and not Jose Mourinho - who was sensationally sacked as head coach in the same week that the Premier League's 'Big Six' attempted to participate in a breakaway Super League, only to see their plans go up in smoke after worldwide condemnation of the proposal.

Back to the fun stuff, here's how Guardiola - rotation in mind ahead of a crunch Champions League semi-final first leg clash with PSG - could line up his side...


1. Goalkeeper & Defenders

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Zack Steffen (GK) - Ederson would love to start in a cup final, no doubt, but the American deserves the opportunity to see this Wembley run to the end.

Joao Cancelo (RB) - Kyle Walker or Joao Cancelo? It's a dilemma that Guardiola faces every single week. Both are world class, but it could be the Portuguese who gets the nod here and Walker in the week.

Ruben Dias (CB) - The rock of City's defence could have a tasty afternoon if Harry Kane is fit enough to start.

Aymeric Laporte (CB) - John Stones is suspended and unless Nathan Ake has worked some miracles in training, Laporte is the man for the big occasion.

Benjamin Mendy (LB) - Wouldn't it just be so Mendy if he turns in a Wembley final and plays a blinder? Go on, you know you want to.

2. Midfielders

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Fernandinho (DM) - He may be 35 now and once hid his Shakhtar bonus payments in a pressure cooker, but is there anyone else you'd want for a big occasion? Probably not.

Ilkay Gundogan (CM) - The German goal machine appears to have lost his touch in that regard, but he's still vital to everything City do well. Kevin De Bruyne may feature, but starting is highly unlikely with what's coming up.

Bernardo Silva (CM) - Two assists against Villa in midweek see the Portuguese coming into form just at the right time.

3. Forwards

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Phil Foden (RW) - Can Guardiola really deny Foden a start in the Carabao Cup final because PSG are on the horizon? Probably, yes, but English football's brightest talent in years could work wonders if given the chance.

Ferran Torres (CF) - Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero will want to start, but there's this nagging feeling that Torres - who hasn't fully settled at City - will get the gig in a central role.

Raheem Sterling (LW) - It's been a challenging season on a personal level for Sterling, with his recent performances nowhere near the high standards he's set for himself. What better way to prove the doubters wrong than by running the show at Wembley.