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2025-10-29 - Swansea City vs Manchester City

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Swansea City v Manchester City
Football: English League Cup Fourth Round
Wednesday 29th October 2025 - Kick Off 7:45pm
This game is live on TV

Swansea City

They spent seven straight seasons in the Premier League between 2011/12 and 2017/18, but Swansea City are now in their eighth consecutive season in the Championship. There were a couple of years early in their return to the second tier when they threatened to return to the Premier League, but this has become a mid-table club at this level and Swansea City are 13th in the Championship table at the end of the first three months of the new season.

In the last four years, Swansea City have finished between 10th and 15th in the Championship table and they have not enjoyed a strong Cup run since reaching the Quarter Final of the FA Cup in 2019. During the time spent in the Premier League, Swansea City won the League Cup (2013) and Wednesday represents an opportunity to reach the Quarter Final in this competition for the first time since that stunning Wembley success.

Swansea City had failed to win any of 3 games and they had been beaten twice in that time, but snapped the run in a 2-1 victory over Norwich City this past weekend. The side had suffered consecutive home defeats before that win, but all 3 League Cup ties won have been played in front of the supporters. That includes Swansea City coming from 0-2 down to beat Nottingham Forest 3-2 here in the Third Round.

Some changes will be expected, but Swansea City should have a strong team heading out in their bid to earn a big upset.

Manchester City

The form of Erling Haaland has been eye-catching, but some have suggested Manchester City have been over-reliant on the Norwegian striker. His personal run of games where he has scored was ended on Sunday and critics of Manchester City will point out that the team failed to score and were beaten 1-0 when Haaland failed to contribute.

The loss at Villa Park will feel like a setback for Manchester City who have to face Bournemouth and Liverpool before the next international break. They had been pretty dominant in English Football all around, including winning the League Cup six times in eight seasons, but Manchester City have 'only' reached the Quarter Final once in the last four years.

Manchester City's 9 game unbeaten run was ended in the West Midlands on Sunday and the manager will be keen to see them bounce back immediately. The side had won 3 of 4 away games in all competitions before the defeat this past weekend and that includes Manchester City winning 0-2 at Huddersfield Town in the League Cup Third Round.

A whole host of changes are expected for this Fourth Round tie, but Manchester City should still have plenty of experience on the pitch. The likes of James Trafford, Nico O'Reilly, Nathan Ake, Nico Gonzalez, Mateo Kovacic, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku and Omar Marmoush should be given opportunities.

Head to Head

The last 2 meetings between Swansea City and Manchester City have both been hosted by the former in Cup settings- they were 2-0 ahead in a FA Cup defeat in March 2019 and Manchester City won 1-3 here more recently in the same competition in February 2021.

Those wins mean Manchester City have won 5 in a row when visiting Swansea City.

Prediction

Both teams will make changes for this League Cup tie, but Manchester City's squad depth makes them deserving favourites.

Swansea City did win the League Cup in 2013, but the Club are not at the same level as they were when playing in the Premier League during that time.

It was Manchester City who took over the competition after the Swansea City success by winning the League Cup six times in the next eight years, but they have not made the Semi Final since the last of those victories.

Changes will be made, but Manchester City will be bringing in some high class international footballers and they are unlikely to be as wasteful as Nottingham Forest were in the League Cup defeat here last month. The Premier League club had been leading 0-2 and had chances for three, four or five goals before capitulating and that is unlikely to happen to Manchester City.

Erling Haaland is not expected to be in the squad so it is an opportunity for other players to show they can produce the quality in the final third to help Manchester City push forward. They were comfortable winners at Huddersfield Town in the Third Round and Swansea City are unlikely to offer much more resistance.

Manchester City have won 5 straight visits to Swansea City and should be able to extend that behind another relatively straight-forward success against lower League opposition.