Manchester City will face Arsenal FC in the League Cup final after ending Newcastle United’s reign as holders with a 3-1 win on Wednesday, completing a dominant 5-1 aggregate victory.
Having taken control of the semi-final with a first-leg win on Tyneside in January, Pep Guardiola’s side finished the job in emphatic fashion at the Etihad Stadium. City struck three times in a blistering first half, with Omar Marmoush scoring twice, either side of a goal from Tijjani Reijnders.
Newcastle pulled one back after the break through Anthony Elanga, but the damage was already done as City cruised into their first League Cup final since 2021.
The showpiece will take place on March 22 at Wembley, after Arsenal, the Premier League leaders, booked their place by eliminating Chelsea FC on Tuesday.
Reaching the final provided a timely lift for Guardiola following the frustration of surrendering a two-goal lead in a 2-2 Premier League draw at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, a result that left City six points behind Arsenal in the title race ahead of a crucial trip to Liverpool FC.
The League Cup marked the first trophy of Guardiola’s City tenure when they defeated Arsenal in the 2018 final, with current Gunners boss Mikel Arteta then serving as his assistant. City went on to lift the trophy for three successive seasons, but have not won it since 2021.
Despite ongoing criticism linking City’s success to the financial backing of their Abu Dhabi-based owners, Guardiola this week pointed out that six English clubs have outspent his side over the past five years, though he has acknowledged that sceptics are unlikely to be convinced.
City will now turn their focus to Wembley as they prepare to meet Arsenal with silverware on the line.
