Carabao Cup Final 2020: Date, Venue, Predictions for Man City vs. Aston Villa

Manchester City and Aston Villa will contest the final of the 2020 Carabao Cup at the iconic Wembley Stadium on March 1. 

Two-time defending champions City will likely start as favourites after knocking rivals Manchester United out of the tournament in the semi-finals, despite losing the second leg 1-0. They will be coming off a difficult two-match stretch against Leicester City and Real Madrid, however, and with another date with United a week later, could opt to rotate the squad.

Villa edged Leicester to qualify for the final, but they too may opt to rotate the side with an eye on the relegation battle in the Premier League.

Head-to-Head

The last meeting between these two teams was on January 12, a dominant 6-1 win for Man City. In their first meeting of the 2019-20 campaign, City topped the newly promoted side 3-0 in October. Villa haven't beaten City since 2013.

Preview

Villa were the first team to book their spot in the final, courtesy of a last-minute goal from Trezeguet.

The five-time League Cup winners have not enjoyed a great season so far, sitting just two points ahead of the relegation zone in the Premier League. This cup run has been the highlight of the campaign, but depending on how the results go between now and the final, the Villans may well decide not to go for broke at Wembley in March.

Jack Grealish has been among the key performers for the club, standing out during this difficult season. He, Tyrone Mings and John McGinn are among the players the Villans simply can't go without, so there will be a big decision to make for the final.

City's squad depth is superior, and manager Pep Guardiola seems even more likely to rest his best. The Premier League title race seems all but over, but City have European ambitions to go with their desire to secure second place in England.

Real may have finished behind Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League group, but Zinedine Zidane's squad is starting to hit its stride. Los Blancos will be a major threat to the Sky Blues, as will Leicester just four days prior.

Even if Guardiola chooses to sit the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, his squad should have the talent to cope. Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez are among the star players who could feature as replacements.

Prediction

Manchester City 2-1 Aston Villa