Share and Follow
Manchester City has confidently secured a spot in the Carabao Cup final after a commanding 5-1 aggregate win over Newcastle United, setting the stage for an exciting clash with Premier League front-runners Arsenal at Wembley.
Pep Guardiola’s squad dispelled any doubts lingering from the first leg by delivering a decisive performance in the second leg on Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium. Three goals in the first half effectively dashed Newcastle’s hopes of a comeback in the semi-final.
Fast start kills the tie
Starting the match 2-0 down from the initial leg, Newcastle desperately needed an early goal but were met with a nightmare start instead.
In the sixth minute, Omar Marmoush found the back of the net with a shot that deflected over Newcastle’s goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, giving City an early grip on the game.
Given a rare starting role in place of Erling Haaland, Marmoush seized his chance effectively. Despite Ramsdale’s impressive save against Tijjani Reijnders, City maintained their dominance in both possession and field position throughout the match.
Newcastle had brief moments of promise, with James Trafford reacting sharply to smother chances from Joe Willock and Anthony Gordon. Those missed opportunities proved costly.
Marmoush doubled City’s lead on the half-hour mark, heading in from close range, before Reijnders capitalised on a loose ball to make it 3-0 before half-time and effectively end the tie.
Newcastle consolation, City cruise
With the aggregate scoreline firmly in their favour, City managed the second half with little difficulty.
Newcastle did pull one back on 62 minutes when Anthony Elanga curled a fine effort beyond Trafford, offering a brief moment of relief for the travelling supporters.
Harvey Barnes later had a goal ruled out, but there was no late comeback as City controlled the closing stages without being stretched.
The result confirmed City’s 10th appearance in a League Cup final and underlined their strength in domestic knockout competitions under Guardiola.
Wembley date confirmed
City will now face Arsenal in the final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, 22 March. The Gunners progressed after edging Chelsea over two legs in the other semi-final and will be aiming to lift the trophy for the first time since 1993.
For Newcastle, the defeat ends their defence of the title and highlights the scale of the task they faced after falling behind in the first leg.