Tuesday 1 December 2015 19:13, UK
Manchester City are set to be without striker Sergio Aguero when they host Hull City in the Capital One Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday.
The Argentina international limped off with an ankle injury in City's 3-1 win against Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday.
However, City manager Manuel Pellegrini has played down the severity of the problem, saying it was merely a "kick in the heel".
The Chilean, who has fond memories of the competition after winning it as his first trophy in English football in 2014, is likely to resist the temptation to field a weakened line-up against the Championship high flyers.
"We will see, with the medical staff, the way they recover from these games," he said. "Maybe we are going to make some changes but not so many as Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala and Samir Nasri are all out of this game.
"So, especially in defending, we cannot make so many changes. We will see in the other positions which is the best team to start.
"It is important to be focused now game by game to try to have consistency. Maybe for teams that are out of some competitions - the Champions League or the Capital One - it is easier to play in the Premier League. But we always want to continue in all the competitions."
Hull boss Steve Bruce, meanwhile, hopes his side can recreate their FA Cup heroics of 2014 at the Etihad.
The Tigers led Arsenal 2-0 in the FA Cup final at the end of the 2013-14 season, before eventually losing 3-2, and Bruce feels there is a good chance to make it to all the way to another major cup final.
"Once you get to this stage, Man City will be looking at it and thinking Arsenal are out, Chelsea are out, Man U are out," Bruce said.
"So there's a path forward for them and we can only think the same thing. If we can mount a great upset, then we'll give ourselves a chance, which we did 18 months ago in the FA Cup.
"You look at their squad and there is so much depth. They bring on Wilfried Bony, David Silva's on the bench and they can move Yaya Toure into a centre forward position.
"Really it doesn't matter who you play. It's what we are going to do to try and stop them from playing like we did last year in the Premier League, when we were only a minute away from beating them, so let's go and have a crack."
Team news
City will be missing Aguero (ankle), although Silva could make his first start since October 3 after coming off the bench against Southampton on the weekend.
However, goalkeeper Joe Hart is expected to be out with the hamstring strain he sustained against Juventus last week.
The visitors have no new injury problems after their 2-0 home defeat to Derby County in the league last Friday.
Opta stats
City have lost just one of their last nine meetings with Hull in all competitions (W5 D3).
Hull's only victory in any competition at Man City came in the FA Cup in 1930, defeating them 2-1 in the fifth round. Since then, they are winless in nine visits (D3 L6).
The only previous League Cup tie between the two sides came in October 1963 as City ran out 3-0 winners in the third round.
This is unchartered territory for Hull, having never made past the fourth round of the League Cup before this season.
City have won their last six League Cup ties against sides from a lower division, scoring 24 times and conceding just two.
Hull have progressed from three of their last four League Cup matches against teams from a higher division, including in both the third and fourth rounds of this season's competition.
City have hit five goals or more in four of their last five at the Etihad in this competition, failing to score in the other against Newcastle in October 2014.
The Tigers have shipped two or more goals in six of their last seven games on the road in the League Cup.
Charlie Nicholas' prediction
I'm interested to see who Manuel Pellegrini goes with. I'd imagine they'd like to give a run out to David Silva but then again they might not want to risk him. Pellegrini will also have to make a call on Sergio Aguero after giving him just over an hour in each of their last three games. I wouldn't be surprised to see Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfried Bony, who is fit again, playing.
As for Hull, well Steve Bruce might be tempted to change things around as well. With the odds stacked against his side, it's the sort of game where he'll also be reluctant to take any risks, and I think he'll see their next league game at Leeds as more important.
Charlie predicts: 2-0 with Bony to score first (14/1 with Sky Bet)
Betting
Outright favourites City are just 1/4 with Sky Bet to book their place in the semi-finals with a victory within 90 minutes, as Hull go up against odds of 11/1 to cause an upset.
Hull are 9/2 to take the tie to extra time, with Abel Hernandez considered their main goal threat at 11/1 to break the deadlock.
The tie brings together the favourites and the biggest-priced outsiders left in the tournament, with Pellegrini's men evens to their visitors' odds of 40/1 to lift the trophy.
The Soccer Saturday pundits and Jamie Redknapp have all made their Sky Bet tips here.
