Can Bristol City Somehow Upset Manchester United in the Carabao Cup?

The Robins' chances of progressing are seen as relatively slim but with Lee Johnson's side full of confidence and playing some fearless attacking football, could they do the unthinkable and knock the Red Devils out of the competition?

Bristol City are the sole representatives from the EFL left in the Carabao Cup at the quarterfinal stage and have been drawn against Manchester United. 

Bristol City

Many pundits and fans questioned whether Johnson was the man to take the club forward this campaign following mixed fortunes during the 2016-17 season but they have proved any doubters wrong over the course of the opening three months. Players such as Bobby Reid, Famara Diedhiou, Aden Flint and Callum O'Dowda have all featured prominently this season with the latter being rewarded with a call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad for their crucial FIFA World Cup playoff. Whilst the likes of Matty Taylor may not be firing on a regular basis they have still managed to score 26 times so far this campaign which is the joint third highest in the division and they aren't afraid to pour forward at every opportunity. This time last season, they'd netted three fewer goals and conceded three more during their opening 16 games with on-loan striker Tammy Abraham making an impression at Ashton Gate

Manchester United

Jose Mourinho's side have started their Premier League season in decent fashion but trail their rivals Manchester City by eight points. The top-flight side slipped up against Chelsea as the Portuguese coach watch his side head into the international break off the back of a defeat against his former employers. The Red Devils are likely to start as overwhelming favourites for this tie, especially as they are the current holders and have been successful in this competition on eight different occasions. Their 3-2 success against Southampton in the final last season made it 41 major trophies and they will fancy their chances of adding more silverware to that extensive collection. The depth of their playing squad is also a factor with the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba arriving with huge price tags. United courted both players for a number of months before the transfers were announced but this isn't uncommon, as super-agent Jon Smith explained during his interview with Betway. He divulges the intricate details of how deals materialise which are likely to include settling on agent fees, moving costs, bonus agreements and image rights. The latter is believed to have been a major factor in holding up the announcement of Paul Pogba's move from Juventus to Manchester United and the midfielder, who is working his way back to fitness, could feature in this contest.

Who will make the semifinals?

Whilst Manchester United may be tempted to rest a couple of players for this clash, Lee Johnson is likely to send out his strongest starting eleven. The Robins eased past struggling Crystal Palace in the previous round but this will be much tougher. Previously when the club were at risk from being dragged into a relegation battle, they may have been tempted to rest a few key performers but with a larger squad and a feel-good atmosphere amongst fans, it's likely to be a quality line-up for the hosts.

Bristol City last reached the Semi-Finals of this competition during the 1988-89 season as well as 18 years previously and they'll be hoping to be amongst the final four for the first time in almost thirty years. They were defeated narrowly by Nottingham Forest on that occasion and a third semifinal appearance is certainly a possibility. They have absolutely nothing to lose and it sets up a potentially mouth-watering tie which will be televised.

Ashton Gate will be packed out and the atmosphere should be absolutely terrific. The fans haven't had a huge amount to shout about since they romped to the League One title with an impressive 99 points in 2014, a season in which they also took 40,000 fans to Wembley for the final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. City have already seen off Stoke and Watford on top of the aforementioned success against Crystal Palace and they will enter this tie with a positive mindset. Johnson will need to ensure his side aren't overawed by their opponents and they are just 90 minutes away from achieving one of the biggest results in the club's history.