Manchester City v Wolves preview: Mission impossible?

Whatever team Manchester City put out Wolves will face an extremely expensive team rich in quality and full of international stars.

The likes of Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling were on the bench for Saturday's 3-0 win over Burnley – a result that took City's league goal tally to 32 in just nine games (and 10 in the past two) and could start tonight.

And they'll set a new club record of 12 consecutive wins if they progress to the quarter finals

Whatever way you look at it, it's a daunting prospect.

However Wolves will themselves travel to Manchester full of confidence. Nuno Espirito Santo is likely to ring the changes but he did that at Southampton in round two and Wolves won comfortably despite the Saints fielding a number of first-teamers.

And with players such as Helder Costa, Alfred N'Diaye and possibly Willy Boly coming into the XI it'll be a strong team, certainly from a Wolves perspective, whoever Nuno fields.

Conor Coady will certainly hope to feature and he wants Wolves to impose themselves on free-scoring City.

"It’s going to be a fantastic night," he said. "City are on fire at the moment – they’re demolishing teams, but we’ve got nothing to lose. Every single one of the boys is really excited about it and whoever plays on the night is going to be up for it.

"We’re taking thousands upon thousands of fans – as we do everywhere – and we’ll go there with no fear; we’ll go to enjoy ourselves, acquit ourselves well and keep on playing how we’ve been playing.

"We want to go there and impose ourselves and our way of playing on them. We all know our jobs and what we’ve got to do."

The confidence in Wolves' camp is soaring.

Jack Price could celebrate his new contract with his first ever appearance against City and he echoed Coady's thoughts.

He added: "I saw someone say we’re not scared of going there. It would be an upset but we don’t see it like that at the moment – we’re top of the league and they’re top of their league. It’ll be a good clash.

"We have to go there with our game plan, playing our possession football and see where it takes us.

"We won’t change the way we’re playing just because it’s Manchester City.

"I’ve played in a reserve game there and the stadium is brilliant. Everyone’s buzzing – when the draw’s made you’re hoping it’s you involved in the game.

"It was the same last season when we had the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea. Then once the whistle goes you forget what’s around you and concentrate on the game."

N'Diaye, who admitted yesterday he's not happy with the amount of minutes he's been getting, said tonight was a great chance to show what he could do, if selected.

"It’s a good opportunity for me and others to show the coach we can play," he added. "Like every game when I go on the pitch if I play 10 minutes, 15 minutes or 90 minutes I give my best

"Yaya Toure (has been) one of my favourite players for a long time. Now he plays less but for me he’s still a very good player. I like Kevin De Bruyne (too). It’s good to play these types of players."

Nuno will hope to have Boly available after a recent hamstring strain while Kortney Hause may make his first appearance of the season after returning to training.

Jordan Graham and Oskar Buur Rasmussen have featured at right wing back in the Carabao Cup so far but with neither in the squad Ben Marshall may get the nod.

If Nuno wants to make 11 changes ahead of trips to QPR and Norwich on Saturday and Tuesday respectively then Michal Zyro could also come into contention with Costa, Bright Enobakhare and Connor Ronan also options for the three forward berths.

Likely line ups

Manchester City (4-3-3): Bravo; Danilo, Stones, Mangala, Delph; Bernardo Silva, Toure, Gundogan; Sterling, Jesus, Sane.

Wolves (3-4-3): Norris; Bennett, Boly, Hause; Marshall, Price, N'Diaye, Vinagre; Costa, Enobakhare, Ronan. Subs: Burgoyne, Deslandes, Doherty, Saiss, Jota, Bonatini, Zyro.

Key players

Manchester City: Gabriel Jesus

The 20-year-old Brazilian striker has been a sensation since signing from Palmeiras for £27million in January, netting 13 goals in 18 Premier League games. It was revealed last month he has the best goals-per-minutes ratio in Premier League history of anyone who’s scored 10 or more.

Wolves: Alfred N'Diaye

Of the likely XI only N’Diaye, Ryan Bennett and Ben Marshall will have played at the Etihad before. His experience – and ball retention – will be vital.

Memory lane

It can only be the 1974 League Cup final. Wolves were underdogs that day too but beat City 2-1 at Wembley with Kenny Hibbitt and John Richards scoring.