Manchester City defeated holders Newcastle 5-1 on aggregate and are scheduled to face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final.
Omar Marmouche scored twice early on and Tijani Rejnders put the result beyond doubt before the end of the first half. Newcastle hit back after the interval and Anthony Elanga pulled one back, but the draw was gone by then.
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Omar Marmouche scores the opening goal in Manchester City vs. Newcastle
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Omar Marmouche headed the second goal, giving Manchester City a 2-0 lead.
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Tijani Reynders scores home in Manchester City’s third game
After losing by two points last month, the Magpies were hoping for a quick start as they were always in contention, but that hope ended when Dan Byrne’s clearance bounced off Marmouche and past goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
James Trafford had to come off his line twice to deny chances for Joe Willock and Anthony Gordon, but Marmouche quickly rewarded them with his second of the night, nodding in from Antoine Semenyo’s center after Lijnders’ powerful run from deep.
The Dutch midfielder regularly found space behind the Newcastle midfield and City outclassed their opponents in the center of the pitch, which led to the third goal. Lijnders took this chance for himself after being supplied by Semenyo.
Howe lost Anthony Gordon to injury late in the first half and made three more substitutions at half-time, changing the course of the game somewhat, albeit too late. Yoan Ouissa missed a clear chance, but Anthony Elanga, who also arrived, fired his shot into the bottom corner.
Cheers on the road included chants of “We’re going to win 6-5” and although Harvey Barnes’ shot was rightly ruled out for offside, Elanga missed yet another opportunity after scoring, a reminder of City’s own fragility at the back.
But Newcastle relinquished the trophy last season, ending a 70-year wait for a major domestic player. Josep Guardiola’s Manchester City will play the final against Premier League leaders Arsenal at Wembley on March 22nd.
Best player: Omar Marmouche
It was Marmouche’s third start for City since his return from the African Cup of Nations, and the third time the team had taken the lead within the first 10 minutes of these matches. Two of those goals were scored by the live wire Egyptian himself.
Erling Haaland was not on the pitch in this victory, so he scored twice against Newcastle. That Marmouche looks like a viable replacement for the big Norwegian could be crucial for Guardiola as City continue to compete across four fronts this season.
There is no doubt that Marmouche’s characteristics make him better suited than Haaland to the split-striker system that Guardiola has recently adopted. He links well with Semenyo, and the two wide forwards also provide space for Lijnders and others to run into.
Perhaps don’t expect Marmouche to usurp Haaland in big games. But there is no doubt that his presence gives Guardiola a better option ahead of a busy spring, in terms of easing the burden on City’s strikers and providing a goal threat of his own.
