LONDON. — Any suggestion that tomorrow night’s EFL Cup showdown between Manchester United and Manchester City would lack the usual derby intensity has been removed by the gathering pressure on both managers. While Jose Mourinho seeks a response to the humiliation inflicted on United by Sunday’s 4-0 rout at Chelsea, City’s Pep Guardiola is looking to end his five-match winless run as a manager.

That raises the stakes in a competition often treated with disdain by managers, and this week’s fourth-round fixture list of the re-branded League Cup also pairs traditional heavyweights Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur tonight and West Ham United and Chelsea tomorrow night.

But it is Old Trafford where most interest will be focused on a game that Mourinho has admitted he does not want. “I would prefer to play in the Premier League,” said the Portuguese, who is keen to rectify a run of just one win in six league games.

“We are really, really sad but again this is not for kids, this is for men and tomorrow we have to be men and work for the next one.” After Sunday’s game, United’s players faced multiple criticism, from lack of effort in midfield, with world-record signing Paul Pogba a particular target, to being too keen to swap shirts with opponents at the end.

Mourinho will make changes for City, who have already won 2-1 at Old Trafford in the Premier League this season, with midfielders Michael Carrick and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and the underused Wayne Rooney, if fit, pressing for inclusion.

In defence, Eric Bailly’s knee ligament injury means a likely start for Marcos Rojo. City, too, know the importance of victory after five games without a win. Guardiola was so unhappy with Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Southampton that he kept the team in the dressing room for 45 minutes to deliver his post-match verdict.

“We were drinking Coca-Cola and red wine,” he said cryptically. “We were together, we spoke, but nothing special. We spoke about what is the situation.”

City’s win at United on September 10 formed part of a sequence of six consecutive victories, which suggested Guardiola might find life in England something of a stroll.

But since drawing 3-3 in a frenetic Champions League game at Celtic, the early-season certainty has vanished.

One-sided losses to Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona sandwiched a 1-1 draw with Everton before Sunday’s stalemate with Southampton, who went ahead after a blunder by City centre-back John Stones.

“It’s important to change our dynamic from the previous games,” Guardiola said.

“Everything influences you. If you can play well or badly, it affects your mentality, so we are working on it.

“We will see tomorrow, after the players’ recovery, then decide if it’s necessary to make rotations or not.”

When the teams met in the league, Mourinho looked to hit City on the break, tactics he seems unlikely to repeat this time.

“Both teams have to go for it,” said former United midfielder Ray Wilkins on Sky Sports.

City’s Belgian international Kevin De Bruyne looks likely to miss the game with a thigh injury.

Last season City won the trophy by beating Liverpool on penalties at Wembley, and Jurgen Klopp’s side will be looking to go one better this time round as they seek their first trophy since winning the League Cup for a record eighth time in 2012.

Spurs, mindful of their Champions League commitments, have not fielded their strongest side in the competition this season and will rest players again at Anfield.

The teams drew 1-1 in a high-octane Premier League clash at White Hart Lane in late August.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool crept above Tottenham in the league table at the weekend after they beat West Bromwich Albion 2-1 and Mauricio Pochettino’s men could only draw 0-0 at Bournemouth.

“I’m pleased with the effort because after three games (in a week) it was difficult, mentally and physically,” Pochettino said of his side’s display at the Vitality Stadium.

“The team showed again they are tough and there are lots of positives to take.

“I feel pleased with another big effort and now we keep going because we have another big game on Tuesday.”

Chelsea will also make changes for their first ever visit to West Ham’s London Stadium, with John Terry a likely starter after six weeks out with an ankle injury.

In his absence, manager Antonio Conte has employed a 3-4-3 formation, which Terry is known to dislike, and Chelsea’s captain faces a battle to win back a regular place ahead of Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueta.

Tomorrow night’s other game pits the Premier League’s form team, Southampton against strugglers Sunderland, while Arsenal entertain Reading and fellow Championship side Bristol City will fancy an upset against Hull City. The spotlight will fall on and off the pitch at London Stadium, where West Ham United host cross-town rivals Chelsea.

Police are expected to be on duty inside the ground, which will stage its first London derby, after violent skirmishes involving West Ham fans during recent matches at their new home.

The remaining all-top-flight tie sees Southampton host the Premier League’s bottom club Sunderland, who remain without a league win this season following Saturday’s 1-0 reverse at West Ham.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is expected to make sweeping changes for the visit of second-tier Reading, who are managed by former Manchester United and Netherlands centre-back Jaap Stam.

Hull City travel to Bristol City, while Championship leaders Newcastle United host Preston North End and Leeds United face Norwich City.

Fixtures (all 8:45pm unless

otherwise stated)

Today: Arsenal v Reading, Bristol City v Hull, Leeds v Norwich, Liverpool v Tottenham, Newcastle v Preston

Tomorrow: Manchester United v Manchester City (9pm), West Ham v Chelsea, Southampton v Sunderland. — Reuters.

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