Manchester City overpower Newcastle to seal Carabao Cup final place


Manchester City delivered a commanding performance to defeat Newcastle United 3–1 at the Etihad Stadium, sealing a 5–1 aggregate victory and securing their place in the 2025/26 Carabao Cup final.

Holding a 2–0 advantage from the first leg at St James’ Park, Pep Guardiola’s side wasted little time asserting their dominance in the return fixture. City effectively decided the contest within the opening half hour, showcasing their trademark intensity and clinical finishing.

The breakthrough arrived early when Omar Marmoush opened the scoring in the 7th minute, capitalising on sustained pressure to put City firmly in control. The forward doubled his tally in the 29th minute , exploiting gaps in Newcastle’s defence to all but extinguish the visitors’ hopes of a comeback.

Moments later, City struck again. Midfielder Tijjani Reijnders added a third goal in the 32nd minute , completing a devastating first-half spell that underlined the gulf in quality between the two sides on the night.

Newcastle showed greater resilience after the break and managed to pull one back through Anthony Elanga in the 62nd minute , offering brief encouragement. However, the goal proved to be little more than a consolation as City comfortably managed the remainder of the match with authority and composure.

Guardiola’s decision to rotate his squad paid dividends, with City maintaining control of possession and tempo throughout the contest. The result confirms their return to Wembley, where they will face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final on 22 March 2026 .

For Newcastle, the defeat brings an end to their cup journey, while Manchester City continue their pursuit of domestic silverware with another statement performance.


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