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The Carabao Cup has thrown up some intriguing ties as eight teams battle it out to reach the semi-final stage of the competition.
The two favorites to lift the trophy, Man City and Manchester United, arguably have avoided each other and received favorable draws ahead of Saturday’s derby.
Other teams have a great chance of getting within range of a rare cup final.
Sportsmail takes a look at some of the things to watch out for in this week’s quartet of games.
Carabao Cup specialists Manchester City are considered favorites to win the trophy.
Erik ten Hag ready to ring in changes
Manchester United could move within a point of rival City with a derby win this weekend and therefore Ten Hag is expected to rest several key players when they play Charlton on Tuesday night.
In what is a game they are expected to win, the likes of Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, in top form, are likely to be left on the bench.
Youngsters Alejandro Garnacho and Anthony Elanga have almost assured a place in the starting eleven.
Marcus Rashford is expected to be dropped for Manchester United’s clash with Charlton
Jack Butland is likely to make his debut after he was brought in to replace Martin Dubravka, who was recalled from loan by Newcastle.
Keeping his players fresh will be important for Ten Hag, who if they beat Charlton, will have played nine games by the end of January.
Their opponents this weekend are also expected to keep their top starters, including Erling Haaland, out of the lineup.
Erik ten Hag will sound in the changes while Alejandro Garnacho is expected to start
Man City striker Erling Haaland is likely to start on the bench for their quarter-final match.
Charlton aim for upset amid off-pitch uncertainty
The biggest impact of this season’s Carabao Cup would come if Charlton is able to upset the odds and beat Manchester United at Old Trafford.
A grand prize is on offer for the team that sits 12th in League One, as the club have not reached a semi-final in a major tournament since winning the FA Cup in 1947.
Charlton’s last visit to Old Trafford was in 1986 when Mark Stuart scored the only goal, and before that the only successes at the famous stadium were both in the 1930s.
The match comes at a time when rumors are circulating that Danish owner Thomas Sandgaard is looking to sell the club.
As reported by the guardianSandgaard is aiming to sell 80% of his shares for £11m, though this does not include the Valley freeholds or the club’s Sparrows Lane training ground.
Rumors have been circulating that Charlton owner Thomas Sandgaard is looking to sell the club.
Both are owned by the club’s previous owner, Roland Duchatelet, with the Belgian charging the club £500,000 per season to rent out his home and training ground.
Sandgaard’s initial hope had been to have all sections of the club under his ownership, although the financial impact of the pandemic has created more problems than he thought.
As reported by BBC, said: ‘It is not more difficult than I expected; it’s just taking longer.
“Getting into that, right in the middle of Covid, it set things back anywhere from a year to 18 months in terms of getting into the nitty-gritty of the matter.
‘It’s a long process. I have spent two and a half years mainly changing things at the club. Most of that has been internal. We have changed many things, not only in the football aspect but also in the commercial aspect. There is still one, if not two seasons before we can say that things have changed.
A win over Manchester United would be one of the biggest surprises in this year’s competition.
Newcastle looking to reach their first semi-final in 18 years
Newcastle fans are getting tired of waiting for their team to win a trophy.
His 54-year wait since his last major cup is well known, but the truth is that he hasn’t come close to winning a trophy in the last 18 years.
The last time they reached a semi-final was in 2005, when Manchester United defeated them 4-1 to advance to the final.
Eddie Howe has done a brilliant job since arriving at St James’ Park last season, but winning a trophy with the Magpies would automatically cement his legacy at the club.
The likes of Kevin Keegan, Sir Bobby Robson and Rafael Benítez were very popular with the supporters, although they were never able to stop their trophy.
With Newcastle’s shock FA Cup exit to Sheffield Wednesday, Tuesday night’s game has taken on even more significance.
Howe won’t make the same mistake he did at Hillsborough when his much-changed team was knocked out by third-tier opposition.
He has vowed to name his strongest XI for the quarter-final against Leicester.
Newcastle are looking to reach their first semi-final in 18 years as they also look to finish their 54-year trophy draft.
But the Carabao Cup could save Leicester’s season
The Foxes have had a season to forget in what has been Brendan Rodgers’ toughest at the club to date.
They sit a lowly 13th in the Premier League table and despite a brief return to form ahead of the World Cup, they have now lost their last three games in the top flight.
One of which was against Tuesday’s opponents Newcastle, who posted a comfortable 3-0 win at King Power Stadium on December 30.
Rodgers’ position at the club is in jeopardy after his difficult campaign, but success in the Carabao Cup could save his season.
Leicester have been strong in domestic competitions since Rodgers joined the club in 2019, lifting the FA Cup for the first time in 2021.
Winning the Carabao Cup would secure their return to Europe after a season away, a feat that would seem impossible if they are not in league form.
Leicester have had a poor campaign, although Carabao Cup success would save their season
Can City’s former local players haunt their old club?
Pep Guardiola has led Man City to four Carabao Cup trophies in the last five seasons, and they are expected to win the competition for the fifth time under the Spanish manager.
On their way to the semi-finals, there is a favorable tie against Southampton, who are fighting for the Premier League.
Nathan Jones has been through a torrid time since replacing Ralph Hasenhuttl at St Mary’s, missing all four Premier League outings and now sitting bottom of the table.
However, they have won both of their domestic cup games under Jones, and several former Man City players will be looking to pursue their former team.
Goalkeeper Gavin Bazanu, midfielder Romeo Lavia and winger Samuel Edozie are all in contention to start against City on Wednesday night.
Bazanu has been a regular for the Saints this season, Lavia has largely started when available, while Edozie has been used more as a bench option.
The trio will be eager to chase down their old club when
Southampton’s Romeo Lavia will look to chase down his former team Manchester City on Wednesday
Kalvin Phillips FINALLY ready to make his first start
Phillips is in line to make a full Manchester City debut seven months after his £42m summer move.
Phillips came off the bench in both wins against Chelsea last week after Pep Guardiola criticized the 27-year-old’s fitness before Christmas, saying he had returned from the World Cup “overweight”.
But the City boss has been impressed by Phillips’ attitude since the rebuke and believes a turn has been made.
Guardiola is expected to rest Rodri ahead of the Manchester derby, given the Spaniard has missed just two games all season.
It means Phillips is in a prime position to replace the Spaniard and finally get his chance to shine early on.
Phillips’ start in the city has been hampered by a dislocated shoulder he suffered in September that required surgery.
Kalvin Phillips is expected to start for the first time for Man City after a difficult start at the club.
Forest looks to bounce back from Blackpool humiliation
Nottingham Forest were beginning to find their rhythm before crashing to earth again with a humiliating 4-1 FA Cup defeat to championship-challenging Blackpool.
Prior to the loss to Blackpool, Forest scored a huge win over fellow relegation fighters Southampton, while also picking up a hard-fought point against Chelsea at home.
Steve Cooper will be eager for his team to quickly find their rhythm in some big Premier League games.
Like Newcastle, it will be a great achievement for Cooper to take his team to the semi-finals.
Nottingham Forest are looking to reach their first semi-final since the 1990 League Cup
Forest have not reached the FA or League Cup semi-finals since beating Oldham Athletic in the latter competition’s final back in 1990.
They face a Wolves side that has also begun to improve under new coach Julen Lopetegui.
Wolves have become a much tougher team to beat coming off a 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the FA Cup, a game they were unlucky enough not to come away with a win at Anfield.
Forest will be looking to bounce back from their 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Blackpool in the FA Cup