Manchester City travel to Deepdale for a clash with Preston North End in the EFL Cup third round on Tuesday night.
Pep Guardiola's side, who recorded a stunning 8-0 win over Watford last time out, have won this competition on four occasions over the last six years.
However, the home side will head into this game with a fearless mentality and in good form having moved into third in the Championship table over the weekend.
Here, Sports Mole looks at how the Premier League champions could line up for the game.
Out: Leroy Sane (knee), Aymeric Laporte (knee), John Stones (muscle)
Doubtful: Phil Foden (virus)
> Click here to see City's full list of injuries and suspensions ahead of this fixture.
City fans would have been delighted to see Benjamin Mendy make his first start for the club since suffering fresh knee problems in April, with the Frenchman playing 45 minutes against Watford before being replaced at half time. They will expect to see him receive another start as Guardiola looks to build up the fitness of his first choice left-back.
It was a similar story on the other side, with new signing Joao Cancelo finally receiving a proper run out in the second period, and you suspect that the meeting with Preston will serve as the right-back's next step towards becoming fully accustomed to the flow of City's football.
With Guardiola now relying solely on Nicolas Otamendi and Fernandinho in central defence, the Catalan must rest one of them on Tuesday, and he is likely to go for his one natural defender and place his faith in the omnipresent Brazilian to marshall the back line alongside youngster Eric Garcia, who made his Premier League debut for the Citizens against Watford.
In midfield, it remains to be seen just how much of a gamble Guardiola will take, but you suspect that Foden, who impressed in this competition last season, should make himself available for a rare opportunity to start and dictate proceedings from midfield.
With the reliable Gundogan, who did not feature on the weekend, occupying the base of midfield, Guardiola is likely to hand another chance to club-record signing Rodri Hernandez, with the 23-year-old already looking right at home after seven starts in a City shirt.
Raheem Sterling would have been deeply disappointed to have missed out on Saturday's goal-fest against Watford, and the Englishman, who already has seven goals for club and country this term, is likely to be unleashed on the left against Preston after Guardiola disappointed thousands of Fantasy Football players by omitting the 24-year-old over the weekend.
Another player left out was Gabriel Jesus as Sergio Aguero led the line against Quique Sanchez Flores' side, and as Guardiola's rotation policy between league and cup games dictates, it is the Brazilian's turn to feature on Tuesday night, with hat-trick hero Bernardo Silva keeping his place on the right-hand side of attack.
Leo Nieboer
