Record and latest updates from the Carabao Cup quarter-finals

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Manchester City’s domination of the Carabao Cup came to an end with a shock penalty shootout defeat at West Ham last year, but they once again look like strong favorites to win their first major honor of the season.

City won four Carabao Cups in a row between 2018 and 2021, and also lifted the Premier League title in three of those seasons. A win tonight could set up a possible semi-final against Manchester United, in a month when they also face city rivals in the Premier League, as well as Tottenham Hotspur. Oh, and a tie in the FA Cup against arch-rivals Arsenal.

The schedule may be a handicap for City in the league, but they have room to rotate. Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland were rested in FA Cup defeats Chelsea, but they could see action tonight to set them up in Saturday’s Manchester derby. The same goes for Ederson and John Stones, with the England defender in the form of his life.

Southampton’s prospects are even bleaker, despite a 2-1 turn at Crystal Palace in the FA Cup weekend. The away team told new manager Nathan Jones that it was “his football”, and they finished last in the league. Tonight’s tie is far down their priority list, though they will want to avoid draining confidence in front of their home crowd. Southampton faces Everton in a big game this weekend.

Jones was cautious about the prospect of signing Mislav Orsic in January for the first time this evening: “It’s something we have to assess on a daily basis. Obviously he hasn’t played much football since scoring the winner in the third/fourth World Cup play-off so we’ll just have to assess that “.

More arrivals could be on the way, with Telegraph Sport first reporting Southampton’s interest in Carly Alcaraz, the 20-year-old Argentine midfielder.

Full team news on the way soon.

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