Manchester Evening News

Manchester City divert their attention from the Premier League tonight, though it gets no easier for Pep Guardiola's men as they travel to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup.

Man City would typically have their sights set on the competition's final at Wembley Stadium next March, though a more pragmatic approach to the season may mean they do not make it there. The manager has already admitted that he is prepared to turn to the academy in order to give some of his senior stars the rest they need between Premier League, Champions League and international duties.

"There is some ones but we play against Spurs, they're coming from defeat and I know what it is mentally for managers and players playing against City - the last four Premier League in a row winners. I know they will be the best," Guardiola said, explaining his thought process for team selection.

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"We also won the Carabao Cup four in a row and I always used the first rounds to play guys who didn't play regularly and when we arrived in the semi-finals we thought we were going to win it. Now we have a problem that we have a lot of injured players and I cannot rotate like I would and I don't want to put much pressure on the young players on this stage for this opponents for the way I play so that's why I have to make a mix for the players, split minutes with 45 minutes-45minutes."

Ballon d'Or winner Rodri is the first major absence for Man City, with his ACL injury ruling him out for the season. Talisman Kevin de Bruyne is also sidelined, as are Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker, Jeremy Doku and Oscar Bobb.

Here, MEN Sport takes a look at the TV info needed for you to be able to follow Tottenham vs Man City in the Carabao Cup.

What time does Tottenham vs Man City kick off?

Tottenham vs Man City is scheduled to kick-off at 8:15pm on Wednesday, October 30, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Is Tottenham vs Man City available to watch on TV?

Yes, Sky Sports will be broadcasting Tottenham vs Man City in the Carabao Cup.

As part of their 'Wicked Wednesday' billing, Sky Sports Main Event is the channels that will be covering the fixture from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Coverage begins at approximately 7pm, so around 75 minutes before kick-off.

How to live stream Tottenham vs Man City

Sky Sports will be live streaming Tottenham vs Man City via their app, Sky Go, to paying customers. Alternatively, Now TV will also be streaming the fixture to paid subscribers either via their mobile or on TV.

Pep Guardiola will lean on the academy again for Manchester City's Carabao Cup clash at Tottenham this week, deprioritising the competition amid an injury crisis at the Etihad.

Once upon a time, Guardiola used the Carabao Cup to foster a winning mentality at City, often attracting criticism for taking the competition too seriously. But with City targeting bigger trophies, Guardiola has insisted the Premier League trip to Bournemouth is the priority this week and he will not risk any player with doubts at Spurs with six already missing with injury.

In the last round against Watford, he used his line up to play some fringe players, those needing fitness, and a couple of academy call-ups including 16-year-old Kaden Braithwaite. For all his talk of playing a fully-second-string side, however, there may only be two or three youngsters included.

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Braithwaite was a surprise call-up against Watford, training with the senior team for the first time the day before and doing enough to convince Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain. He started in order to give Josko Gvardiol a rest and with Nathan Ake out as a left-sided defender - but Ake is back now and may mean Braithwaite is surplus to requirements.

Braithwaite has only made one appearance for the under-21s this season which was a one-minute cameo and is instead firmly in the under-18 picture. He has also started all three UEFA Youth League fixtures for the under-19s. If he was to earn another call-up this week it may instead be in the EFL Trophy clash at Grimsby Town on Tuesday.

That fixture is likely to instruct how many academy players are in Guardiola's plans. The first team unsurprisingly get priority for any youngsters, but discussions will take place to determine the best option for each player in contention - is it better for them to get 90 minutes against professional, senior opposition at Grimsby, for example, as opposed to a watching brief from the bench at Tottenham.

Two players likely to get the call to help Guardiola's men are Nico O'Reilly - a first team squad member this season - and Jacob Wright. The latter has captained the under-21s and under-19s this season and came off the bench against Watford. He scored in the previous EFL Trophy game and would normally be expected to play a key role in that competition given his experience, but a fourth senior appearance could be the more likely outcome this week.

Wright revealed to MEN Sport recently that Guardiola asked for him to stay at City this season rather than go out on loan, with this week an ideal example of when Wright can step up and help the first team.

Other players in contention could be forwards Jaden Heskey, Justin Oboavwoduo and Fraid Alfa-Ruprecht who have all trained with the first team recently, as have a handful of defenders including Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Lakyle Samuel. But just as Guardiola resisted mass call-ups against Watford, his idea of rotation at Tottenham could be bringing in the fringe players and resting players on the bench rather than wholesale changes and an academy-heavy squad.

Pep Guardiola will refuse to take any unnecessary risks with his players' fitness at Tottenham this week - even if it means Manchester City have less chance of progression in the Carabao Cup.

City beat Sparta Prague and Southampton this week without six first team players as their injury crisis continues to bite. Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne are out without a set return date, while Jack Grealish could be back next week. Jeremy Doku will be out until after the November international break, with Rodri and Oscar Bobb long-term absentees.

That leaves Guardiola with just 15 fit outfield players to pick from - including fringe options James McAtee and Nico O'Reilly. With Southampton restricting City to a 1-0 win, Guardiola's ability to rotate in the second half was tempered, so the manager has vowed to rest any player who needs it against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup.

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Guardiola previously vowed to play the 'second team' for the trip to Spurs in the fourth round, referring to the academy. And he repeated that intention after watching City edge past Southampton.

The under-21s play Grimsby in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, needing a win to give themselves a good chance of qualification for the knockout stages. However, Guardiola's needs will take priority, so there is a good chance that a handful of academy players will travel to North London instead.

"We have to take care of ourselves. Good sleep, drinks, good food, sleep a lot, training and recovery," he said. "We are who we are. I would love to have everyone, it's not the position. We are few, few people. Okay. We have to do what we have do to. I don't know if I'm going to think against Spurs maybe some players from the academy. I don't know."

Guardiola insisted Tottenham is the lowest priority fixture of the four upcoming away trips in four days - with two long journeys in the Premier League sandwiching a Champions League clash in Portugal. With those in mind and so few options to pick from, Guardiola says no risks will be taken in the Carabao Cup.

He explained: "We are going there to compete but the main target is Bournemouth, Sporting and Brighton before the international break. We are not going to take a decision… if the players are fine they are going to play against Spurs but if they have doubts I'm not going to take a risk against Spurs, that's for sure."

The stance marks a clear contrast to his approach in the League Cup in his early years in charge of City, where he treated every round seriously in a bid to foster a winning mentality within his squad. The Blues won four consecutive titles in the competition, but have exited at the quarter-final stage or before in the last two seasons.

In the last round against Watford, Guardiola made a number of changes to give starts to fringe players, those returning from injury and he gave a debut to 16-year-old Kaden Braithwaite.

Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen has expressed his high regard for Jose Mourinho, despite leaving Tottenham Hotspur shortly after the Portuguese's appointment as manager.

Former United manager Mourinho took over at Spurs in November 2019 and by January 2020, Eriksen was on his way to Inter Milan. During an impressive stint at Tottenham, Eriksen made 305 appearances, and his decision to seek a new challenge was met with sadness by Spurs fans.

In reflecting on Eriksen's transfer, Mourinho acknowledged: "We knew it for a long time. We didn't reveal it because we had respect for him and I knew it the first day I came here, he told me he won't sign the new contract.

"So, it was a situation that I left in the hands of Mr Levy to manage. For me, it is more important to have players who want to play for this club and that is important."

Despite what some might consider a cold handling of his exit by Mourinho, Eriksen holds no bitterness towards his ex-manager as they prepare to reunite with each other in Thursday's Europa League clash between Fenerbahce - Mourinho's current side - and United. Speaking with TNT Sports, Eriksen remarked: "He has a few old teams.

"He has a long and very respected career, so hats off. But he's still Mourinho... so it's special to play against him.

West Ham United's star forward Mohammed Kudus will miss the clash with Manchester United next weekend after receiving a straight red card in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Kudus went from hero to zero in north London after he gave the Iron the lead with a close-range finish in the first half. The two teams went into the break level after Dejan Kulusevski equalised but Spurs would blow away their rivals in the second 45 minutes.

Yves Bissouma, an Alphonse Areola own goal and Son Heung-min's strike saw the visitors implode before the hour mark. With frustrations running high at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Kudus saw red shortly before stoppage time.

After tripping Micky van de Ven, the former Ajax winger appeared to kick the centre-back twice while he was on the ground as a melee erupted by the centre circle. Kudus then pushed several Tottenham players away with his hands as the striker seemingly lost his head.

Incredibly, Andy Madley initially decided to book Kudus. However, following a VAR intervention, the referee was instructed to go to his monitor and review the footage.

Upon review, the decision was made to upgrade the yellow card to a red one to round off a sorry day for Julen Lopetegui's side. The dismissal will be a boost for Erik ten Hag's side who take on West Ham next weekend.

Manchester United are back in action when they host Brentford on Saturday. Erik ten Hag's side have made a dismal start to the season, winning just three of their opening 10 matches across all competitions.

United started the campaign with a 1-0 win at home to Fulham but followed that up with back-to-back defeats against Brighton and Liverpool. Successive victories over Southampton and Barnsley restored the feel-good factor, but United have since failed to win any of their last five matches.

Meanwhile, Brentford have made a mixed start to the season. They have picked up 10 points from their opening seven matches and beat Wolves 5-3 last time out. The Bees have also defeated Crystal Palace and Southampton, with their other point coming against West Ham in a 1-1 draw.

With some kind-looking fixtures on the horizon, United will be keen to get their season going with some victories on the board. So, that being said, football.london has looked at United's upcoming matches and how they compare to their rivals.

Manchester United's next five fixtures

Brentford (H) - October 19

Fenerbahce (A) - October 24

West Ham (A) - October 27

Leicester (H) - October 30

Chelsea (H) - November 3

MEN says: It's cliche to suggest there are no easy games in football, but it's safe to say that United will fancy their chances to win all of their next four matches. Based on their current form, United might struggle to win one, but with the players they have got, there is no reason why they can't go on a run. Chelsea at home at the end of that run could prove to be more challenging, but stranger things have happened.

Chelsea's next five fixtures

Liverpool (A) - October 20 - Premier League

Panathinaikos (A) - October 24 - Conference League

Newcastle (H) - October 27 - Premier League

Newcastle (A) - October 30 - Carabao Cup

Manchester United (A) - November 3 - Premier League

Tottenham's next five fixtures

West Ham (H) - October 19 - Premier League

AZ Alkmaar (H) - October 24 - Europa League

Crystal Palace (A) - October 27 - Premier League

Manchester City (H) - October 30 - Carabao Cup

Aston Villa (H) - November 3 - Premier League

Aston Villa's next five fixtures

Fulham (A) - October 19 - Premier League

Bologna (H) - October 22 - Champions League

AFC Bournemouth (H) - October 26 - Premier League

Crystal Palace (H) - October 30 - Carabao Cup

Tottenham (A) - November 3 - Premier League

Newcastle's next five fixtures

Brighton (H) - October 19 - Premier League

Chelsea (A) - October 27 - Premier League

Chelsea (H) - October 30 - Carabao Cup

Arsenal (H) - November 2 - Premier League

Nottingham Forest (A) - November 10 - Premier League

"Lads, it’s Tottenham," Sir Alex Ferguson famously said before a Manchester United game.

United were facing Tottenham at Old Trafford and Ferguson intelligently used just those three words in the dressing room before the game to tap into the minds of his players.

That phrase has been used to mock Tottenham for their losing DNA and 'Spursy' tendencies ever since. Spurs don't have a winning culture and have been huge underachievers, but they now have something to be proud of, something that is the best in the country: their stadium.

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Tottenham's stadium is the best in the Premier League and it was rebuilt 170 yards away from where White Hart Lane stood, which means the club's feeling hasn't been lost.

Spurs' ground cost around £1billion and their fans were delighted with their new home, which is atmospheric and has leading facilities that create a brilliant matchday experience.

Furthermore, their stadium was the first purpose-built NFL venue outside of the US and Spurs have a deal to host a minimum of two games per year over 10 years, which is an extra revenue stream. Tottenham played home games at Wembley for almost two years.

United intend to submit plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium by the end of the year. The task force agree with Sir Jim Ratcliffe that a new build is the logical proposal to regenerate Old Trafford and its surrounding area.

The earliest date work could begin might be the summer of 2025 and that would also be seen as moving fast considering Ratcliffe only became co-owner of the club in February.

Early estimations suggest a new rebuild would cost around £2billion with roughly three years needed to complete the project, so 2028 would be the earliest completion date.

Tottenham left White Hart Lane in 2016, spent nearly three seasons at Wembley, and moved to their new 61,000-seater venue in 2019, which shows it can be done in that timeframe.

Ratcliffe will celebrate his 75th birthday in 2028 and there's a feeling he's been keen to address the future of Old Trafford to leave a legacy behind in Manchester.

However, although Tottenham have done what some other Premier League clubs have failed to do by moving to a stadium that is loved by their fans - West Ham botched their move from Upton Park in 2016 - they have been forced to increase season ticket prices.

The cheapest adult season ticket at Tottenham costs £856, which equates to £45 per game, and only Arsenal's cheapest season ticket (£1073) costs more in the Premier League. Chelsea charge the third highest price (£810), Liverpool are next (£713) and Newcastle follow (£662) after that.

The most expensive season ticket at Tottenham costs £2,147 and they are the most expensive seats of any in the league, so although their stadium is world-class, Spurs fans have been asked to stump up more cash for tickets and that's a cautionary tale for United fans.

Moving to a new 100,000-seater stadium may see a rise in season ticket prices and that's something fans might have to lobby against when the project gradually develops.

A club source once told the MEN "our tickets are among the most competitive in the top tier of English football," and they were right. The football hasn't always been great since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement but United's ticket prices are objectively good value in the Premier League.

Season ticket prices at Old Trafford were increased for the first time in 11 years - they had been frozen during that period - last season but they remained well priced.

“Ticket prices at Old Trafford – along with matchday food and beverage prices – will remain among the most affordable in the Premier League and we are committed to continuing that approach,” United said.

“However, with the cost of delivering matches up by 40 per cent in the past five years, and 11 per cent in the past 12 months alone, the modest increase in price for the 2023/24 season is necessary to allow the club to operate on a sustainable basis.

“We understand that our fans are also facing pressure from increased living costs and that is why we have kept price increases well below the current rate of inflation.”

The cost of a United season ticket for this season (2024/25) rose again from £551 to £579 and that represented a five per cent rise, which the club felt was necessary due to inflation.

The Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) reacted and said: "We felt there were good arguments for another freeze this season and so we did argue against the increase but ultimately it is a club decision and we do recognise that this is roughly in line with inflation."

But even with that increase, nine clubs still charge more than United's cheapest season ticket and the club are proud to continue to offer fans a fair deal for attending games.

United fans want a world-class stadium like Tottenham's but don't want similar ticket prices.

Manchester is a working-class city and the club must tread carefully when deciding prices in the future.

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner has heaped praise on summer signing Elisabeth Terland after she scored her first goals for the club in a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

United maintained their perfect start to the Women's Super League (WSL) season with an impressive victory over Spurs at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday. Robert Vilahamn's side had arguably been the better team for much of the first half before Terland's quick-fire brace saw the Reds go into the break two goals to the good.

"I just think she's an incredible talent," Skinner said in his post-match interview. "The beauty of her is I think she slows the moment and sees the opportunity under the most immense pressure."

Terland joined United from fellow WSL side Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer, having scored 13 top flight goals for the Seagulls last term. The Norway international opened her account for the Reds with a superb volley which went in off the underside of the crossbar before netting a back-post header just five minutes later.

"(She's) intense in a good way," Skinner said. "She is a person that is always focused, she doesn't dip off her focus whether it's pressing or whatever the task is, she's all in.

"I think she knows (Erling) Haaland personally and I don't want to compare the two but the immense and intense action of both of them, that's how she performs."

Terland's brace helped United move up to third in the WSL table, level on points with second-place Chelsea and having played a game less than leaders Manchester City. They are yet to concede a goal this term and have looked a much stronger outfit than they appeared last season, when they finished 15 points off a Champions League place.

"I came to a club that wants to achieve big things. I know playing in a better team will make me better," Terland told Sky Sports on Sunday afternoon. "Part of my job is to score goals - it is great to get the first one for the club. A good win today and I am proud of the team."

If/when VAR is confined to the history books as a football experiment that has gone wrong, we will perhaps point to Bruno Fernandes' red card for Manchester United against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, September 29 as the catalyst for the U-turn.

The decision to reach for the red card when Fernandes clumsily stuck a leg out to halt James Maddison was understandable when you saw the angles that Chris Kavanagh and his assistant had. However, we all waited patiently for the inevitable overturn from VAR after seeing the multiple angles the officials in Stockley Park were privy to.

That never came though. Instead, the on-field decision stood and United collapsed further in the second half to a 3-0 defeat.

Did United deserve to lose? Yes. Would the outcome have been different if Fernandes had stayed on? Probably not. Maybe though, the result would not have been so emphatic.

It was mind-blowing that the following week the FA decided to rescind the three-match ban and admit a mistake had been made. It begged the question as to why VAR did not overturn the call on the day.

Was it due to them believing, like the on-field officials, that the red card was correct? No, instead PGMOL chief Howard Webb admitted it was likely because the decision was not wrong enough.

"When the VAR checks it, he forms the opinion that the 'referee’s call' is not clearly wrong because he sees the action with the high contact, no attempt to play the ball, with some force and therefore decides in his professional judgment that the 'referee’s call' is not clearly wrong," Webb explained. That right there is why VAR is truly pointless.

When it was introduced, there was an assumption that the technology would eradicate bad decisions from the game for good ensuring much fairer outcomes. What we have discovered is that errors are still occurring but they are much harder to forgive because VAR has all the angles to make the right call and still they don't.

What Webb has managed to expose this week is the ugly truth that VAR will allow some decisions to go untouched even when they probably think they are wrong. If that is the case, why do we continue to plug away with VAR?

Manchester United have been informed that VAR did not feel Premier League referee Chris Kavanagh's decision to send off Bruno Fernandes was 'clearly wrong' despite the Reds winning an appeal at a later date.

Fernandes was sent off during the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur after a challenge on James Maddison. The dismissal came during a terrible first half with United 1-0 down.

With ten men in the second half, the Reds went on to lose the game 3-0 in a match which put manager Erik ten Hag on the brink of the sack. Last week, the FA confirmed that Fernandes would not serve a three-match ban for the red card which led to questions as to why VAR did not intervene at the time.

In the latest episode Match Officials Mic'd Up, PGMOL head Howard Webb was grilled as to what went wrong on the day that led to Fernandes wrongly being sent off. "The red card was correctly overturned on appeal," he admitted.

"We hear on the audio the assistant referee coming with the information around this being from his position, a red-card offence and the referee takes his advice and issues the red. When you look back on the footage, you see that the contact is high and Bruno Fernandes slips first and puts his foot out to stop Maddison.

"It’s not an attempt for the ball, from the assistant referee’s position - he’s got a good view, a nice open view, a better viewing angle then what the referee has got. [It] looks like there are studs there going into the shin and if there is it would be a red card but it’s just a slight mis-read.