Pirate Galaxy » an 23.7 percent of the vote from the BBWAA --

Two managers at opposite ends of their tenures with their current clubs are going in search of silverware when Liverpool play Manchester City in Sundays Capital One Cup final at Wembley. Jurgen Klopp took over at Liverpool last October and is looking to mark his first season in charge of the club with a trophy, while Manuel Pellegrini, who is to be replaced by Pep Guardiola this summer, knows this will be his final campaign in charge of City.Liverpools route to the final has not been simple. They needed penalties to get past Carlisle in the third round before knocking out Bournemouth and Southampton and winning their semi-final against Stoke via a penalty-shoot-out. Watch the highlights from Liverpools road to the Capital One Cup final In contrast City enjoyed comprehensive wins over Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Hull before beating Everton 4-3 over two legs in their semi-final. Watch the highlights from Man Citys road to the Capital One Cup final This will be Liverpools 12th League Cup final, a record for the competition and theyve lifted the trophy eight times including the 2012 win over Cardiff City. Meanwhile, Man City have been in four previous League Cup finals, winning in 1970, 1976 and most recently in 2014 against Sunderland.Both sides won their European fixtures in midweek with City winning the first leg of their Champions League tie at Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday, while Liverpool knocked Augsburg out of the Europa League thanks to a 1-0 win at Anfield on Thursday.Sundays showpiece kicks off at 4.30pm with coverage starting on Sky Sports 1 at 4pm.Team news Jamie Redknapp and Adam Smith looking ahead to Super Sunday, Capital One Cup Final, Frampton v Quigg and more! Wilfried Bony and Jesus Navas are expected to return to Manchester Citys squad, along with defender Eliaquim Mangala - who has not played since early January but was an unused substitute at Dynamo Kiev. All three players trained fully on Friday.City boss Pellegrini is hopeful captain Vincent Kompany, ex-Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling and Bacary Sagna will be fine to feature after undergoing recovery sessions away from the main group.Goalkeeper Willy Caballero will start in goal ahead of Joe Hart and Bersant Celina, Manu Garcia and Aleix Garcia could all be in the squad, although Fabian Delph, Kevin De Bruyne and Samir Nasri are all long-term absentees. Jamie Redknapp joins Ed Chamberlin to preview the Capital One Cup final between Liverpool and Manchester City Midfielders Adam Lallana and Joe Allen and defender Martin Skrtel have all returned to training with the Liverpool first team but may find it difficult to win a place in the squad at Wembley.The first two have not featured since February 6 because of calf and hamstring problems while Skrtel has been sidelined since mid-December.Fellow defender Dejan Lovren has recovered from illness earlier this week.Klopp made just one change for Thursdays Europa League win over Augsburg and with Lucas Leiva occupying a role in defence in that game the manager has to decide whether to swap him with a genuine centre-back or a midfielder.Opta stats Sergio Aguero says Manchester City will be looking to avenge their Premier League defeat to Liverpool when the two meet in the Capital One Cup final This will be the first final in any competition contested between Liverpool and City.In cup competitions, Liverpool are unbeaten in their last eight against City (W6 D2), last being defeated by them in an FA Cup fourth-round replay in 1973.Klopp has now reached a cup final in each of his last five seasons as a manager, but he has lost the last three.City scored 17 times en route to the League Cup final, with nine different City players scoring in this years competition (plus one own goal). However, both teams have scored in each of Citys five League Cup games this season.All three of the goals Liverpool have conceded in this years competition have come before half-time.The last eight meetings in all competitions between these sides have produced 32 goals, with both teams finding the net in each match.There has been at least one goal in each half in 10 of the last 11 League Cup finals. The exception was United and Tottenhams goalless draw in 2009.Mersons prediction Manchester Citys Jesus Navas claims that he is fully focused on the Capital One Cup final despite an upcoming run of important fixtures If Liverpool can recapture the form that saw them dismantle Man City last time the two teams met, then they have a superb chance of lifting the trophy. I know City had a good result in midweek in Europe but travelling to Kiev is still an incredibly tough journey.Liverpool have to take advantage of that and start well. If they start slowly and it gets into a bit of a war of attrition then City will have too much class for them. Klopp needs to get his side to start at a high tempo and then they can win this game. Im siding with Liverpool and a 2-1 win. Daniel Sturridge is the man to grab the first goal at Wembley.PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 to LiverpoolBetting A look back at Ian Rushs five League Cup wins Manchester City are Sky Bets 13/10 favourites to win the trophy in 90 minutes when they take on 2/1 shots Liverpool at Wembley. Liverpool are 5/4 to lift the trophy by any method. Sergio Aguero and Sturridge head the first scorer betting at 4/1 and 11/2 with both scoring in 90 minutes available at 5/1. The Sky Sports pundits are split on the destination of the trophy. Jamie Redknapp expects the final to go to extra-time, while Phil Thompson and Charlie Nicholas are backing Liverpool and City respectively. See all their selections and match odds here. Swell Bottle Resort Collection . LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was one of the more enthusiastic participants as the St. Swell Bottle Wood Collection . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. http://www.swellbottlesclearance.com/ . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. Swell Traveler Sale . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. Swell Water Bottle Sale 17 Oz . NBA officials ruled the court unplayable in the Bucks final exhibition game on Oct. 25 because players were slipping, and the game was cancelled midway through the first period. NEW YORK -- Mark McGwire is getting another swing at the Hall of Fame.The former slugger who admitted using steroids joins Bud Selig, George Steinbrenner and seven others on the Todays Game Era ballot to be considered for election to Cooperstown in December.The announcement was made Monday by the Baseball Hall of Fame. The ballot is part of changes to the election process announced by the Halls board of directors in July. The ballot is comprised of five players, three executives and two managers who made their biggest impact from 1988 on.Its flattering. Its fantastic. I mean, thank you, McGwire told The Associated Press in a phone interview. Its very flattering to have another opportunity to possibly get into the Hall of Fame. Its exciting.McGwire said hed heard of the committee, but didnt think his name would come up for a long time.I didnt know it was going to be this year, considering last year was my last year on the (writers) ballot. Its very flattering.Harold Baines, Albert Belle, Will Clark, Orel Hershiser, Davey Johnson, Lou Piniella and John Schuerholz round out the class of 2017 candidates on the new ballot.All are alive except for Steinbrenner, the bombastic and successful owner of the New York Yankees from 1973 until his death in 2010.Selig served as baseballs acting commissioner from September 1992 to July 1998 and then as commissioner until January 2015. He oversaw an era of immense change that included expansion, wild cards and interleague play.It is Seligs first appearance on a Hall of Fame ballot, and the third for Steinbrenner. He fell short on 2010 and 2013 Expansion Era ballots.Voting is Dec. 5 during the winter meetings in Maryland. To be enshrined, candidates must receive votes on at least 75 percent of the ballots cast by the 16-member Todays Game Era Committee.Those voters, appointed by the Hall of Fame board, will be announced this fall.McGwire ranks 11th on the career list with 583 home runs. Tainted by performmance-enhancing drugs, however, he never came close to getting elected by the Baseball Writers Association of America and dropped off that ballot this year after his 10th and final chance.ddddddddddddNumbers-wise, what Ive done, I truly believe they are Hall of Fame-worthy. For what I did hitting home runs, 583, Im the only guy in history averaging one in every 10 at-bats, he said. If you look at how many games and at-bats I did it in, it was a lot less than most guys in the Hall of Fame. Im proud of that. I truly believe I was born a home run hitter.Yet McGwire, who spent this past season as bench coach for the San Diego Padres, never received more than 23.7 percent of the vote from the BBWAA -- far short of the 75 percent required for election. He garnered 12.3 percent in his last appearance.He was asked whether he thinks his steroids admission and subsequent apology will sway this particular committee.Its obviously up to them. Theyre obviously up to speed with that. The writers felt the way they did. I truly respect how they felt. I did admit to it, and you know, theres nothing else I can say. I did what I did and I apologized for doing what I did, McGwire said.The process of the Todays Game Era Committee provides an avenue for Hall of Fame consideration to managers, umpires and executives, as well as players retired for more than 15 seasons -- like McGwire. Todays Game Era was one of four eras committees outlined in July when the Hall detailed its latest set of election changes.Finalists on the ballot revealed Monday were selected by the Historical Overview Committee appointed by the BBWAA, made up of 11 veteran historians.Any candidates elected Dec. 5 would be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 30 next year along with any players voted in by the BBWAA. Those results will be announced Jan. 18, 2017. ' ' '