After an exceptional week of amazing performances a huge victories, Manchester City make their debut in this season’s League Cup against fellow Premier League rivals West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

The Blues always get a Premier League team away from home in domestic cup games, so this is just par for the course for Pep Guardiola and his men. Facing a Tony Pulis team is never easy even though both managers are expected to rotate their sides, so expect a tough game for City.

The Baggies will offer plenty of danger on set pieces and will sit back to defend deep and stop City from getting any real scoring chances. If the Blues are able to maintain their level of performance with a changed side, they can get a win against Albion and move on to the next round, where City will once again draw a Premier League team away from home.

MATCH INFO, TV/STREAMING

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 20, 2017, 8pm (UK & Nigeria), 3pm ET, 12pm PT (USA), 12:30am IST (India, Thursday)

Venue: The Hawthorns, West Bromwich, England

Television: Not Televised (UK, USA, India), Kwesé Free Sports (Nigeria), DAZN (Canada)

Online streaming: WatchESPN (USA)

(Listings via LiveSoccerTV)

TEAM NEWS

League Cup equals rotations, so expect some big changes from Guardiola. All of the superstars will get a rest, with the young players and reserves getting some valuable minutes. That includes players like Claudio Bravo, Eliaquim Mangala, Danilo Luiz, Phil Foden, Brahim Díaz, Raheem Sterling, Leroy Sané, Fabian Delph and Ilkay Gundogan, who could make his first start after a long absence due to a serious knee injury.

Only Gabriel Jesus and one of Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy will get a start and will look to the lead the Blues to victory. There are no injuries in the squad, so the fit-again Vincent Kompany could get a few minutes against the Baggies.

POSSIBLE LINEUPS

Manchester City (4-2-3-1)

Bravo; Walker, Adarabioyo, Mangala, Mendy; Gundogan, Delph; Sterling, Bernardo, Sané; Jesus

West Bromwich Albion (4-2-3-1)

Myhill; Nyom, Hegazi, Evans, Brunt; Krychowiak, Yacob; Leko, Field, McClean; Robson-Kanu

PREDICTION

It won’t be the worst thing in the world if City lose on Wednesday, but the form is too good for us to lose, even with the rotations: 3-1 to the Blues.