Pep Guardiola’s Man City visit Swansea for the first time since 2021. / Visionhaus/Getty Images
Manchester City’s Carabao Cup journey continues on the road in the fourth round, as they visit Swansea City on Wednesday night.
The Cityzens have met the Welsh side twice since they were relegated from the [Premier League](https://www.si.com/soccer/premier-league) in 2018, winning 3–2 and 3–1 in a pair of competitive FA Cup ties. City are unbeaten in 15 against their upcoming opponents, last tasting defeat in this fixture during their first Premier League title-winning campaign back in 2011–12.
Since dropping down to the second tier, Swansea haven’t threatened a return to the top-flight, and they sit 13th in the Championship through 12 games in 2025–26. Another mid-table finish is projected, but perhaps Alan Sheehan’s side will be able to stage a magical cup run, having fought back from 2–0 to beat Nottingham Forest 3–2 in the third round of this competition.
Pep Guardiola’s side, meanwhile, cruised to a 2–0 win at Huddersfield Town to set up this tie, but they did have their nine-game unbeaten run snapped at the weekend, as they lost again at Villa Park. Questions continue to linger about City’s capacity to compete for the league title this season.
Here is _Sports Illustrated’s_ guide to this Carabao Cup clash.
**Swansea**
**Man City**
Swansea 2–1 Norwich - 25/10/25
Aston Villa 1–0 Man City - 26/10/25
Swansea 0–1 QPR - 22/10/25
Villarreal 0–2 Man City - 21/10/25
Southampton 0–0 Swansea - 18/10/25
Man City 2–0 Everton - 18/10/25
Swansea 1–3 Leicester - 04/10/25
Brentford 0–1 Man City - 04/10/25
Blackburn 1–2 Swansea - 30/09/25
Monaco 2–2 Man City - 01/10/25
**Country**
**TV channel/live stream**
United States
Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video
United Kingdom
Sky Sports+
Canada
DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Amazon Prime Video
Mexico
Disney+ Premium Mexico
Irish international Adam Idah could lead Swansea’s attack. / Athena Pictures/Getty Images
The Swans are in pretty good shape heading into this cup tie, and they will welcome back teenager Malick Yalcouyé to their matchday squad on Wednesday after he missed the 2–1 win over Norwich City through suspension.
However, the hosts are still without Ricardo Santos due to a knee injury.
If changes are made from Saturday’s team, expect Irish international Adam Idah to lead the line, Burnley loanee Manuel Benson to support the attack and Chelsea youngster Ishé Samuels-Smith to come in at left-back.
Swansea’s squad is in good shape. / FotMob
**Swansea predicted lineup vs. Man City (4-2-3-1)**: Fisher; Key, Casey, Burgess, Samuels-Smith; Franco, Galbraith; Benson, Yalcouyé, Eom; Idah.
Erling Haaland will be rested on Wednesday night. / Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images
Erling Haaland picked up a knock in Sunday’s defeat at Aston Villa, and Guardiola has confirmed his star striker will be rested on Wednesday night. However, there’s hope he’ll be back in action against Bournemouth at the weekend.
Rodri is "getting better" but not yet ready to make his return and Abdukodir Khusanov is also still out for the away side.
Kalvin Phillips is expected to travel with the Cityzens but not start, with Nico González likely to return to the base of City’s midfield.
Rayan Aït-Nouri is poised to make his first appearance since August, and there should be starts for Omar Marmoush, James Trafford and Rayan Cherki on Wednesday night.
Guardiola will make an array of changes from Sunday’s defeat at Villa Park. / FotMob
**Man City predicted lineup vs. Swansea (4-1-4-1)**: Trafford; Nunes, Dias, Aké, O’Reilly; González; Savinho, Cherki, Bernardo, Doku; Marmoush.
City were pretty stale at the weekend against a stubborn Villa side, and their overreliance on Haaland will be put to the test here, given that their leading goalscorer will sit out of this cup tie.
They coped well at League One Huddersfield in the third-round, and the recent return of sharpshooter Marmoush is a big boost. He should lead the line on Wednesday night.
Overall, while there are questions over just how good this City team is, it’d be a major surprise if they struggled at a middling Championship side in midweek. This should be a vintage cruise for the Sky Blues.