Manchester City and Newcastle United have booked their places in the semi-finals of the League Cup after securing hard-fought victories on Wednesday night. City saw off Brentford 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium, while the defending champions, Newcastle, needed a stoppage-time winner to edge past Fulham 2-1 at St. James' Park.
Guardiola's Rotated Side Delivers Victory
Ahead of a busy Premier League festive schedule, Pep Guardiola made seven changes to his Manchester City lineup, with the luxury of leaving star striker Erling Haaland on the bench. The manager emphasised the need for squad rotation, stating that key players needed rest to stay ready for the challenges ahead.
The match saw a rare start for Uzbek defender Abdukodir Khusanov, who was fortunate to receive only a yellow card for a professional foul on Kevin Schade. City's plans were disrupted early when the in-form Phil Foden had to replace the injured Oscar Bobb after just 20 minutes.
Cherki's Moment of Magic
The breakthrough came in spectacular fashion ten minutes before half-time. French midfielder Rayan Cherki collected a cleared corner on the edge of the box, cut inside onto his right foot, and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner, breaking the deadlock in style.
City sealed their place in the last four with a fortuitous second goal twenty minutes from time. Savinho's shot took a heavy deflection off Brentford's Kristoffer Ajer, looping over goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson. This victory marks City's first semi-final appearance in the competition in five seasons, despite having won it four years consecutively between 2018 and 2021.
Miley Heads Holders Newcastle Through
At St. James' Park, the pressure was on Newcastle to respond after a dismal 1-0 loss to local rivals Sunderland. Yoane Wissa opened his account for the club on his first start, giving the Magpies an early lead after just ten minutes. However, Fulham's Sasa Lukic quickly equalised, setting up a tense battle.
With the tie looking destined for a penalty shootout, Lewis Miley emerged as the hero in stoppage time. The youngster got a decisive flick to Sandro Tonali's dangerous delivery, sending the home crowd into raptures and his team into the semi-finals.
Manager Eddie Howe highlighted the importance of the response after the Sunderland defeat. He expressed his desire to be competitive and win trophies, referencing the great experience of winning the League Cup last season, which ended a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy.
Semi-Final Lineup Confirmed
The results set up an enticing semi-final clash between Manchester City and Newcastle United. In the other half of the draw, Chelsea secured their spot with a 3-1 win at Cardiff on Tuesday. They will face the winner of next week's final quarter-final between Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
