Fans of the six Premier League clubs still left in this season’s English League Cup will find out just how much the tournament means to their respective sides in this week’s quarter-finals.

In recent seasons the League Cup has lagged far behind in the pecking order of goals for leading top-flight clubs, who place a far greater emphasis on winning the Champions League, Premier League and even FA Cup competitions.

With Manchester City five points clear at the top of the Premier League table, and chasing their first domestic title for more than 40 years, there will be a strong temptation for manager Roberto Mancini to rest some of his star names against Arsenal.

Traditionally, that has been the course of action favoured by Gunners boss Arsene Wenger. But the Frenchman, whose side lost last season’s final to Birmingham, can no longer afford to be quite so disdainful of the tournament given it is six years since Arsenal last won a major trophy.

However, with both clubs still involved in the Champions League, the line-ups at the Emirates Stadium are set to have an unfamiliar look about them.

Another intriguing all top-flight clash sees Chelsea face a resurgent Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea stopped a losing streak with a 3-0 win over Wolves and an appearance in the first final of the season would help ease the pressure on under-fire manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish won the League Cup several times as a player during his glittering career with the Anfield club. Dalglish has hinted that he will give run-outs to fringe players.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is again set to give his latest crop of up and coming players a League Cup run out when they face mid-table Championship side Crystal Palace in tomorrow’s quarter-final at Old Trafford.

Programme
Today: 20.45 Cardiff vs Blackburn Rovers; Chelsea vs Liverpool. 21.00 Arsenal vs Manchester City.
Tomorrow: 20.45 Manchester United vs Crystal Palace.