World Cup absentees Erling Haaland and Mo Salah both START as Manchester City and Liverpool square off in their Carabao Cup last-16 clash, with Jurgen Klopp sticking with 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic in the Reds XI

Fierce rivals Manchester City and Liverpool square off as they get their campaigns back underway tonight, with both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp opting for a mix of youth and experience for the clash.  

The pair collide this evening, with kick-off at 8pm GMT, in the Carabao Cup Round of 16, with the winner going through to the quarter-final draw taking place immediately after. 

The Premier League returns this weekend following the conclusion of the World Cup, and both Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah - whose nations weren't involved - are starting from the off tonight. 

Erling Haaland (left) and Mohamed Salah (right) are both starting in the Carabao Cup clash between Man City and Liverpool

City had a total of 16 players involved at the World Cup, but a number now return to domestic action, with Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Rodri starting the clash. 

De Bruyne and Gundogan both started as City beat Girona 2-0 in a friendly on Saturday, with the former getting on the scoresheet alongside Haaland. 

Manuel Akanji, who returned to City training earlier this week, has also been entrusted by Guardiola, having reached the last-16 and quarter-finals respectively in Qatar. 

City have only goalkeeper Ederson and Julian Alvarez unavailable for the game, with the latter still celebrating Argentina's historic World Cup triumph. Stefan Ortega starts in goal. 

England quintet Kyle Walker, John Stones, Kalvin Phillips, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden have all returned to City training, though none start tonight. 

Riyad Mahrez, another absentee from the World Cup, has been named in the starting lineup, however, with Cole Palmer completing the front three.  

Confirmed Manchester City XI: Ortega, Lewis, Akanji, Laporte, Ake, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Gundogan (C), Mahrez, Haaland, Palmer

As for Liverpool, they are without Curtis Jones, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Arthur Melo tonight, with all four players sidelined due to injury.  

Ibrahima Konate is also unavailable having reached the World Cup final with France, eventually losing out on penalties to Argentina.

Naby Keita and Joel Matip have recovered from injuries during the break, though, but Klopp has only handed Matip a start tonight. 

Darwin Nunez failed to get on the scoresheet as Uruguay crashed out of the World Cup in the group stages, though he did score two goals in six minutes after coming on as a substitute against AC Milan last week. 

The 23-year-old starts against City, while Roberto Firmino misses out with an injury. 

Liverpool have England duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jordan Henderson back following England's World Cup defeat to France. But neither Alexander-Arnold nor Henderson were involved from the off tonight, though.  

Confirmed Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Milner, Gomez, Matip, Robertson, Elliott, Bajcetic, Thiago, Salah, Nunez, Carvalho.

Liverpool resume their Premier League campaign away at Aston Villa on Boxing Day, while City don't play until next Wednesday, when they travel to Leeds.