Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester City | EFL Cup | Pre Match

Manchester City have been the kings of the Carabao Cup for a decade and more, hoisting aloft this trophy on six occasions since 2014, so will they move one step closer to another Wembley date? In the previous round, Pep Guardiola's team only narrowly overcame Watford at the Etihad, with Jérémy Doku and Matheus Nunes on target in a 2-1 win.

Meantime, Saturday's 1-0 victory over Southampton in which Erling Braut Håland, who else, was the only scorer, took the Citizens to the top of the Premier League table, where most are forecasting they'll remain, now unbeaten in 32 league games and counting.

The Citizens, who've already got their hands on the Community Shield, could win as many as six pieces of silverware this season, potentially playing as many as 75 matches, concluding with the FIFA Club World Cup next June and July. Thus, the EFL Cup may not be high on their list of priorities, with the competition's joint-most successful manager Guardiola describing it as a "waste of energy", so we'll see how he feels come kick off in North London.

Thus, can Tottenham Hotspur take advantage of their visitors' lack of enthusiasm for this tournament? Spurs supporters will definitely be up for this one because, by the time the final takes place in mid-March, it'll be 17 years, 6,230 days to be exact, since they last got their hands on a trophy, this coming in the League Cup.

Ange Postecoglou has himself stated repeatedly that he "always wins a trophy" in his second season. Well, his team came very close to an embarrassing early exit from this competition, 1-0 down at Coventry with two minutes to play, only for Djed Spence to equalise before Brennan Johnson won it at the death.

This can be viewed as a microcosm for Spurs' inconsistent season so far, winning three out of three in the Europa League, but currently eighth in the Premier League, suffering their fourth defeat of the campaign already at Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Regardless of league finish, Postecoglou would be lauded as a Tottenham legend for all eternity should he be the man to end their trophy draught, but they've certainly be handed the toughest possible opponent in this round, although Spurs will feel they can upset the odds and get through to the quarter-finals.