The quarter-final of the 2025/26 EFL Cup (Carabao Cup) will take place on 17 December 2025 at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. Kick-off time is scheduled for 19:30 GMT+0. The match will be refereed by English official Samuel Barrott, who has already shown 78 yellow cards in 18 Premier League games this season (avg. 4.33 per match). Manchester City welcome Brentford in what is the first Carabao Cup quarter-final for the Citizens since the 2022/23 campaign.
Pep Guardiola’s side are chasing a ninth title in this competition and remain heavy favourites, while Brentford are looking to reach the semi-finals for the first time in their history after knocking out Aston Villa and Bournemouth earlier this season. Manchester City vs Brentford prediction today points clearly toward a comfortable home victory.
BETTING TIPS AND MATCH INSIGHTS
Manchester City are in scintillating form and have turned the Etihad into a fortress once again, while Brentford’s away struggles in the Premier League raise serious doubts about their chances of an upset. The hosts have won their last five competitive home games and scored 3+ goals in five of their last six at the Etihad. Brentford, meanwhile, have lost all four of their most recent away matches, failing to score in three of them. History also heavily favours City, who have won eight of the ten previous home meetings with the Bees. Manchester City vs Brentford prediction today strongly supports the hosts covering a significant handicap.
Manchester City Results
Manchester City head into this quarter-final on a five-game winning streak across all competitions, including an impressive midweek victory at Real Madrid. Their attacking output at home has been ruthless in recent weeks.
| Date | Competition | Matchup | Result | W/L |
| 14.12.2025 | PL | Crystal Palace vs Man City | 0-3 | W |
| 10.12.2025 | UCL | Real Madrid vs Man City | 1-2 | W |
| 06.12.2025 | PL | Man City vs Sunderland | 3-0 | W |
| 02.12.2025 | PL | Fulham vs Man City | 4-5 | W |
| 29.11.2025 | PL | Man City vs Leeds | 3-2 | W |
The Citizens have scored at least three goals in five of their last six home fixtures and kept clean sheets in the last two at the Etihad. Phil Foden is in sensational form with six goals in his last five appearances. Even away from home, City are finding ways to win high-scoring encounters, as evidenced by the 5-4 thriller at Fulham. Defensive solidity has returned after a shaky November period. This run has restored confidence ahead of a busy festive schedule.
Brentford Results
Brentford’s league form has dipped alarmingly, with just one win in their last six Premier League matches and no victories on the road since late October.
| Date | Competition | Matchup | Result | W/L |
| 14.12.2025 | PL | Brentford vs Leeds | 1-1 | D |
| 06.12.2025 | PL | Tottenham vs Brentford | 2-0 | L |
| 03.12.2025 | PL | Arsenal vs Brentford | 2-0 | L |
| 29.11.2025 | PL | Brentford vs Burnley | 3-1 | W |
| 22.11.2025 | PL | Brighton vs Brentford | 2-1 | L |
The Bees have conceded exactly two goals in each of their last four away games across all competitions. Their only away win in the last two months came in the previous round of this cup against lower-league Grimsby (5-0). Defensive fragility on the road is a major concern against elite opposition. Despite some encouraging cup results earlier in the season, recent performances suggest fatigue and lack of cutting edge away from home.
Manchester City vs Brentford Head-to-Head (Last 5 Matches)
Manchester City have dominated this fixture in recent years, winning four of the last five encounters and remaining unbeaten in the last seven.
| Date | Competition | Matchup | Result |
| 05.10.2025 | PL | Brentford vs Man City | 0-1 |
| 14.01.2025 | PL | Brentford vs Man City | 2-2 |
| 14.09.2024 | PL | Man City vs Brentford | 2-1 |
| 20.02.2024 | PL | Man City vs Brentford | 1-0 |
| 05.02.2024 | PL | Brentford vs Man City | 1-3 |
City have won the last three home H2H meetings by a single-goal margin, but all were relatively comfortable performances. Brentford’s only positive result in the last seven meetings was a 2-2 draw at home nearly a year ago. The Etihad has been a graveyard for the Bees – eight wins for City in ten visits.
Predicted Starting Lineups for Manchester City vs Brentford
Lineups are always subject to last-minute changes due to injuries, tactical decisions, or rotation, especially in cup competitions where managers like Pep Guardiola often give opportunities to squad players. The following are the most likely starting XIs based on recent team news, form, and expected rotations for this EFL Cup quarter-final. Official confirmation will come closer to kick-off.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Trafford (GK); Lewis (DF), Khusanov (DF), Ake (DF), O’Reilly (DF); Reijnders (MF), Silva (MF); Bobb (MF), Cherki (MF), Savinho (FW); Haaland (FW)

Brentford possible starting lineup:
Valdimarsson (DF); Kayode (DF), Collins (DF), Van den Berg (DF), Henry (DF); Henderson (DF), Yarmoliuk (MF); Schade (MF), Damsgaard (MF), Lewis-Potter (FW); Thiago (FW)

Key Factors to Watch
- Manchester City have won their last five home games in all competitions and scored 3+ goals in five of the last six at the Etihad;
- Brentford have lost all four recent away matches and failed to score in three of them;
- Jérémy Doku remains a doubt for City with a leg injury; Reiss Nelson is touch-and-go for Brentford;
- Phil Foden has scored in each of City’s last four matches, often between the 40th and 70th minute;
- Brentford have conceded exactly two goals in each of their last four away games;
- Manchester City have won eight of ten previous home games against Brentford;
- The Citizens are yet to concede at home in this season’s Carabao Cup;
- Samuel Barrott averages over 4.3 cards per game – expect a physical battle in midfield.
Free Tips on Manchester City vs Brentford
Successful betting on this EFL Cup quarter-final requires digging deeper into statistical trends, historical patterns, and external influences that often decide tight encounters or create value in the markets. While Manchester City dominate most metrics, Brentford’s cup resilience and specific matchups can open doors for smarter plays beyond the obvious winner. Here are some targeted free tips based on data from previous meetings, team performances, and contextual factors.
- Referee Tendencies: Samuel Barrott, officiating this match, has shown over 76 yellow cards in his games this season – look for markets on total bookings over 4.5, especially with City’s pressing style clashing against Brentford’s counter-attacks.
- Recent Fixture Congestion: Manchester City are navigating a packed December schedule with Premier League and Champions League commitments, potentially leading to rotation and fatigue; this could keep scores closer than expected in the second half.
- Player Individual Form: Phil Foden is in red-hot scoring streak for City, while Brentford’s Igor Thiago has netted consistently – bets on anytime scorers for these in-form attackers offer solid value given their recent output.
- Tactics and Style Clash: City’s possession-dominant approach versus Brentford’s efficient counter-attacking setup has historically produced competitive games; consider options like both teams to score or over 2.5 goals if the Bees exploit transitions.
- Upcoming Priorities: With bigger Premier League fixtures looming, Pep Guardiola may rest stars like Erling Haaland, shifting focus to squad depth – this makes handicap adjustments or correct score predictions leaning toward a controlled but not overwhelming City win more appealing.
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Manchester City vs Brentford Match Prediction 2025
Manchester City are hitting peak form at the perfect time and face a Brentford side that simply cannot keep clean sheets away from home right now. The Citizens’ attacking depth, even with possible rotation, should overwhelm a tired Bees defence that has shipped exactly two goals in each of its last four road trips. Pep Guardiola’s men have scored 14 goals in their last four home matches and have extra rest compared to Brentford’s congested schedule. We see no way past a comfortable home win, very likely by at least three goals. Manchester City vs Brentford odds heavily favour the hosts, and the -2 handicap looks the clear value play.
Our Prediction: Manchester City 4-0 Brentford
| Prediction Type | Prediction | Odds |
| Match Result | Man City Win | 1.37 |
| Total Goals | Over 3.5 | 2.34 |
| Both Teams to Score | No | 1.93 |
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