Championship side Bristol City will welcome Premier League giants Manchester United to Ashton Gate on Wednesday as they go head-to-head for a place in the semi-final of this season’s Carabao Cup.
Bristol City vs Manchester United
Wednesday, December 20th
Ashton Gate, Bristol
Kick-off at 19:45 (7:45pm) GMT
After finishing the 2016/17 campaign down in 17th place in the English Championship, Bristol City have had a fantastic season so far under manager Lee Johnson and find themselves third in the table, occupying one of the four play-off spots for the Premier League. They have suffered just three losses all season and their 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest at the weekend was their fourth victory in a row since defeat at home to Preston a month ago.
Bristol City recent results:
16/12/2017 – Bristol City 2-1 Nottingham Forest
08/12/2017 – Sheffield United 1-2 Bristol City
02/12/2017 – Bristol City 2-1 Middlesbrough
25/11/2017 – Hull City 2-3 Bristol City
21/11/2017 – Bristol City 1-2 Preston North End
18/11/2017 – Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Bristol City
Jose Mourinho kept the pressure on Pep Guardiola and United’s noisy neighbours Manchester City on Sunday, since defeat in the derby last weekend, by registering back-to-back wins over Bournemouth and West Brom respectively as they prepare to take on the only remaining team left in the Carabao Cup that do not ply their trade in the Premier League. As defending champions of the League Cup, the Red Devils, who also guaranteed top spot in Group A in the UEFA Champions League this month, will be eager to avoid a major slip-up against a potential banana skin in Bristol City.
Manchester United recent results:
17/12/2017 – West Brom 1-2 Man United
13/12/2017 – Man United 1-0 Bournemouth
10/12/2017 – Man United 1-2 Man City
05/12/2017 – Man United 2-1 CSKA Moscow
02/12/2017 – Arsenal 1-3 Man United
28/11/2017 – Watford 2-4 Man United
United had the virtue of entering the Carabao Cup in the third round where they eased passed Burton Albion at home before making light work of Swansea City in the round-of-16. Bristol’s run has not been so straight-forward. They have had to manoeuvre around three top-flight teams in Watford, Stoke and Crystal Palace and have done so with absolute grace, scoring nine goals in the process. The Robins will be looking to cause a massive upset and make it four wins from four against the greatest team in Premier League history.
Bristol City Carabao Cup results:
22/08/2017 – Watford 2-3 Bristol City
19/09/2017 – Bristol City 2-0 Stoke City
24/10/2017 – Bristol City 4-1 Crystal Palace
Manchester United Carabao Cup results:
20/09/2017 – Man United 4-1 Burton Albion
24/10/2017 – Swansea City 0-2 Man United
Despite not being Bristol City’s regular first-choice shot-stopper, one man who could make an appearance for them on Wednesday is former United goalkeeper Luke Steele. Steele never made a first-team appearance for the Red Devils before spells at Coventry City, West Brom and Barnsley followed in the lower leagues. He spent three years in Greece with Panathinaikos notching up a total of 96 appearances for them before joining Lee Johnson’s side at the start of the season to provide cover for Frank Fielding. This will be the first clash between the sides since Joe Jordan scored twice in a 4-0 win for United over Bristol in February 1980.
Bristol City vs Manchester United head-to-head:
Matches Played: 35
Bristol City Wins: 10
Drawn Matches: 10
Man United Wins: 15
Bristol City Goals: 39
Man United Goals: 48