Away we go in our first quarter-final of the evening.

Nicky Weaver
Former Man City goalkeeper on BBC Radio Manchester

I feel sorry for James Trafford. When we signed Gianluigi Donnarumma, everyone was really excited about it, but I'm sure Trafford wasn't!

When he signed, he probably thought he was going to be number one. We don't exactly know what he was told, but when you get the opportunity to bring someone in of Donnarumma's quality and at his age as well, for a relatively moderate fee, you have to take that opportunity.

I feel for Trafford, I really like him.

Shamoon Hafez
Football news reporter at Etihad Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

The Christmas choir is out at Etihad Stadium before kick-off.

Wearing blue Santa hats, of course.

Brentford boss Keith Andrews will be pleased not to see Erling Haaland in the starting line-up.

The Norwegian striker is on the bench, should his services be required.

But for now, the Bees won't have to work out how they're going to cope with him.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola speaking to Sky Sports:

"Many competitions, delighted and pleased for them to play. Always the manager has some regret when you can't let others play and this is a good opportunity for them to play, improve and get to the semi-finals."

On James Trafford starting: "He played Champions League against Leverkusen, they have to prove for themselves, they don't have to prove to me. If they are at Man City it's because they are good enough to be here. They have to play for themselves, try every action for themselves. They don't have to convince me. They have to do what they have to do for themselves."

On Brentford: "With Thomas Frank there and now, always very tough. Quarter-finals, they selected a strong team. Looking forward to seeing how we behave or play and hopefully reach the semi-finals."

The Carabao Cup was the source of one of the greatest days in Newcastle United's recent history.

The Magpies beat Liverpool at Wembley to win last season's competition.

How they could do with another cup run to get over the disappointment of losing to Sunderland at the weekend.

But Fulham will see this as a chance to win their first ever proper trophy, sitting just two rounds off the final.

Brentford

Brentford boss Keith Andrews speaking to Sky Sports:

"We knew last time we played them they're a very good side, we've grown since that. There was a game within the game with that one, we caused problems in the second half. We weren't as ruthless and clinical as we could've been in that game.

"There's all different strands to how you pick your team, we've gone as strong as we can. Couple of players with knocks."

In recent seasons Brentford have enjoyed decent runs in the League Cup.

This is the second campaign on the spin they have reached the quarter-finals - losing out on a last-four spot last year to Newcastle - but they will hope to go one better this season.

Their best run in the tournament came in 2020-21 when the Bees reached the semi-final but missed out on a place in the final and a trip to Wembley to Tottenham.

One player it seems Pep Guardiola is having trouble resting is Nico Gonzalez. With no Rodri, the Spanish midfielder has been playing pretty much every minute of every game.

He has missed only one game all season and started 17 of his 23 matches.

Image source, Getty Images

Nicky Weaver
Former Man City goalkeeper on BBC Radio Manchester

Everyone on that pitch tonight has a point to prove, and will want to do really well so they can get into Pep's starting 11 more often.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe says this game gives them the chance to move on quickly from the weekend's 1-0 defeat by Sunderland in their big derby.

The Magpies sit 12th in both the Premier League and Champions League tables.

"You get another opportunity to focus on and that's good for us after Sunday," said Howe.

"It's a difficult game but a great opportunity to get to another semi-final in this competition - and then change the feeling and the mood, and have something positive to focus on.

"We have a huge group of games to come and we have the opportunity to still make this an amazing season.

"While we're in that position and while everything can still be positive, we have to attack it with all of our efforts combined."

Ciaran Kelly
BBC Sport reporter at St James' Park

Yoane Wissa makes his first start for Newcastle United as the Carabao Cup holders ring the changes for their quarter-final tie against Fulham.

Fabian Schar, Jacob Murphy, Joe Willock, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Ramsey and Wissa all come into the side following the weekend defeat against bitter rivals Sunderland.

Newcastle starting line-up: Ramsdale, Miley, Schar, Thiaw, Livramento, Guimaraes, Willock, Ramsey, Murphy, Wissa, Barnes

Subs: Ruddy, Joelinton, Tonali, Gordon, Elanga, Woltemade, A.Murphy, Shahar, Neave

Fulham have made four changes as the visitors look to reach a second semi-final in three seasons.

Benjamin Lecomte, Jorge Cuenca, Sasa Lukic and Kevin all start at St James' Park.

Fulham starting line-up: Lecomte, Tete, Andersen, Cuenca, Robinson, Berge, Lukic, Wilson, Smith Rowe, Kevin, Jimenez

Subs: Leno, Castagne, Reed, Cairney, Diop, King, Kusi-Asare, Ridgeon, Traore

Image source, Getty Images

This is the fourth time Fulham have been in the quarter-final of a domestic cup since 2023.

They reached the semi-final on one of those three occasions, losing to Liverpool in the 2023-24 Carabao Cup semis.

Marco Silva feels they are getting closer to the final step.

"Yes, we feel it. We feel it inside the building, with the players and how they have been so, so serious," he said.

"It has been year after year in domestic cups arriving in good stages - now let's try to go further."

Image source, Getty Images

Fulham midfielder Harry Wilson is in the form of his life.

He has scored three goals and made three assists in his past four Premier League appearances

The Wales international, 28, is Fulham's top scorer this season with five goals.

Boss Marco Silva said: "From pre-season, I had this conversation with him and I felt he was becoming much more mature.

"A player needs some love but needs some responsibility and to like the pressure on his back. He is feeling well with that - not just in our football club, but in the national team as well.

"I don't have doubts he is in the best moment of his career.

"I hope there is much more to come from him because he is mature and he is at a good age for an attacker.

"With the individual quality he has, he is more capable to take the best decisions in more moments."

Pep Guardiola had already suggested he would not put out a full strength team this evening with second-choice goalkeeper James Trafford among those given an opportunity, along with some players from the academy.

When Guardiola did the same against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League a few weeks ago, it was not a positive outcome and City ultimately lost the matc.

But the Spanish boss says the problem then was a lack of "father figure" on the pitch.

"They are good, they are top. The problem against Bayer Leverkusen is that we missed a father figure on the pitch," he said.

"There are players where it is not about the quality, it is that some players still don't have the courage for the process."

It looks like Nathan Ake has been handed the role of "father figure" this evening, he's wearing the captain's armband.

For a long period of time this trophy might as well have been renamed the Manchester City trophy.

They won it four years on the spin between 2017-2021.

But they have not lifted it since that last time four years ago. While it may be low down the priority list for Pep Guardiola, his side are often there or there abouts come the latter stages and they will want to keep the positive momentum they have built in recent weeks going with victory tonight.

Image source, Getty Images

Shamoon Hafez
Football news reporter at Etihad Stadium

Image source, Getty Images

Divine Mukasa came through the academy at West Ham before joining Manchester City in 2023.

In the Under-18 side, he had a sensational impact in his first season with 42 goals and assists in 41 games, as City claimed the Premier League North title.

The 18-year-old made the step up into the elite development squad (EDS) this season and will be making his third appearance in the competition after featuring in previous round victories at Huddersfield and Swansea.

Having scored a hat-trick in the Uefa Youth League against Bayer Leverkusen last month, EDS captain Mukasa now has the unenviable task of replacing goal machine Erling Haaland in the starting line-up tonight.