A lot has changed since Cape Town City beat SuperSport United in the Telkom Knockout final last year.

Heading into the MTN8 final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday (7pm), the two teams now boast different squads and coaching personnel to the the ones that did battle at the Peter Mokaba Stadium last December.

Eric Tinkler, who guided City to their first ever silverware on that day barely 10 months ago, is now plotting his former side's downfall.

Tinkler is also looking to earn more respect from his new employers, SuperSport.

Meanwhile, City's new coach, Benni McCarthy, hopes to prove his nay-sayers wrong and win his maiden cup after enjoying a very successful career as a player.

From their starting line-up in the previous final, the Citizens have lost the services of some key players, including captain Lebogang Manyama, Thato Mokeke (SuperSport) and Bhongolwethu Jayiya (Kaizer Chiefs) who have since joined other clubs.

The Cape Town side would also have to soldier on without the injured Aubrey Ngoma who was very influential in their cup triumph last year.

SuperSport is likely to retain their central defensive pairing of Morgan Gould and Clayton Daniels, which did duty last year, but will definitely have different full backs.

Right back Michael Boxall is no longer with the club while Onismor Bhasera has fallen down the perking order, with Tinkler preferring Aubrey Modiba as his left back.

Retired Bafana defender Matthew Booth, who played with both McCarthy and Tinkler in the national team, is putting his money on City.

"SuperSport have played a lot of football and fatigue could set in. Gould and Daniels were with Bafana, that might also take its toll.

"City will be fresher and that gives them some sort of advantage,'' Booth said yesterday.

"Both coaches are natural winners from their playing days. I think City will win.

"SuperSport will battle psychologically because they will also be thinking about their CAF Confed Cup match (semifinal second leg against Club Africain) next Friday."