Manchester City 3 (Omar Marmoush 7′, 29′, Tijjani Reijnders 32′)
Newcastle United 1 (Anthony Elanga 62′)
Aggregate: Manchester City win 5-1 on aggregate.
Here are the City player ratings and a brief match report as Manchester City beat Newcastle United 3-1 tonight in the second-leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side have advanced to this season’s Carabao Cup final with a 5-1 aggregate win. They will take on Arsenal at Wembley.
Pep Guardiola made six changes to the starting lineup that drew with Tottenham last Sunday. Omar Marmoush, Phil Foden and Tijjani Reijnders figured to be key players in tonight’s match given the opportunity that was in front of them tonight.
First half.
Pep Guardiola’s side began the game brightly by dominating possession and looking to take any sting out of Newcastle in the game’s early stages. Manchester City’s approach paid off as they took the lead in the seventh minute. Some neat passing set up the opportunity for Omar Marmoush and Tijjani Reijnders to play a clever one-two in a dangerous position. Reijnders played Marmoush in, who looked to have squandered a good chance with a heavy first touch. Marmoush’s touch gave Newcastle defender Dan Burn the opportunity to clear, but his clearance hit Marmoush and went over Newcastle keeper Aaron Ramsdale to give City the lead. The early goal gave Pep Guardiola’s side a 3-nil aggregate lead, which gave Eddie Howe’s side a mammoth task to overcome.
🚨🏴 OMAR MARMOUSH OPENS THE SCORING FOR MANCHESTER CITY!
Manchester City 1-0 Newcastle.pic.twitter.com/dsHsWsVPZm
— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) February 4, 2026
Following Omar Marmoush’s early goal, Manchester City dominated possession and had several chances to double their lead. Tijjani Reijnders flashed a left-footed strike just wide of the far post in the 10th minute. A desperate block from Malick Thiaw denied Rayan Ait-Nouri in the 12th minute. Antoine Semenyo dragged a volley wide in the 18th minute as City looked to end any hope of a Newcastle comeback. James Trafford denied Anthony Gordon in the 20th minute with a smart save. Gordon’s chance was created after a long ball was met by Dan Burn and nodded onto the England international. Newcastle did carry a threat on the counter that suggested the semi-final tie wasn’t yet over despite Manchester City’s 3-nil aggregate lead.
Manchester City double their lead and seemingly put the semi-final tie to bed.
Pep Guardiola’s side would take a 2-nil lead in the 29th minute. Nico O’Reilly played a clever ball to Tijjani Reijnders to break the lines and set the Dutch international free. Reijnders drove at the stretched Newcastle defence and played a good ball to Antoine Semenyo on his left. Semenyo played in a dangerous cross from the left across the Newcastle penalty area. Kieran Trippier cleared the ball to deny Omar Marmoush a tap-in at the backpost. But Trippier’s clearance went straight up in the air and Marmoush was on hand to head home from two yards out to give City a 4-nil aggregate and seemingly end the Carabao Cup semi-final tie.
🚨🏴 OMAR MARMOUSH DOUBLES THE LEAD FOR MANCHESTER CITY!
Manchester City 2-0 Newcastle.pic.twitter.com/tnD0ly06X1
— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) February 4, 2026
Tijjani Reijnders makes it 3-nil on the night and 5-nil on aggregate three minutes later.
Manchester City scored again three minutes later. Tijjani Reijnders turned superbly out of trouble deep in his own half and once again drove at the Newcastle defense. The Dutch international played a great ball out wide to Antoine Semenyo on the right-hand side. Semenyo worked his way into a good shooting position, but Dan Burn got a foot in to prevent Semenyo from hitting the ball with his left foot. The ball fell kindly to Tijjani Reijnders, who stroked the ball home to give Manchester City a 3-nil lead. Reijnders deserved a goal for his run and superb play throughout the first half.
🚨🏴 REIJNDERS MAKES IT THREE FOR MANCHESTER CITY! 5-0 ON AGGREGATE!
Manchester City 3-0 Newcastle.pic.twitter.com/S0iLQTDdNR
— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) February 4, 2026
James Trafford would make a splendid save in the 46th minute to deny a Sven Botman header from a Newcastle free kick. Trafford had made three key saves in the first half in a performance that reminded everyone of Trafford’s quality as a goalkeeper.
Manchester City would take a 3-nil lead into the interval and a 5-nil aggregate advantage. Pep Guardiola’s side put in a dominant first half performance and Newcastle’s need to get back into the tie allowed City the space they needed to pick Eddie Howe’s side apart. It seemed at halftime that it was only a matter of time before City booked their place in this season’s Carabao Cup final against Arsenal barring a miracle for Eddie Howe’s side.
Second half.
Newcastle had an early chance to pull a goal back to begin the second half. Abdukodir Khusanov played a poor pass to Max Alleyne in midfield, which Yoanne Wissa intercepted. The Newcastle striker got himself in on goal, but his left-footed strike went wide from a good position. Although the Carabao Cup semi-final tie was seemingly over, Pep Guardiola would not want to see his side take their foot off the gas throughout the second half.
Anthony Elanga pulls a goal back for Newcastle.
Newcastle would make it 3-1 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate in the 62nd minute. Anthony Elanga scored a wonderful goal to give the Newcastle traveling fans something to celebrate. Elanga worked his way past two City defenders on Newcastle’s left wing. Elanga drove into the City penalty area and he stood up Nico O’Reilly and curled an effort that hit the far post and went in. It was a quality goal by Elanga, but it was clear that the sting had come out of the game as the second half wore on.
Anthony Elanga would put a superb chance wide in the 70th minute. Newcastle played their way through the City defence as Harvey Barnes timed his run to perfection to get on the end of a superb through ball. Barnes teed up Barnes on the penalty spot but Newcastle’s goalscorer put a superb chance wide. Pep Guardiola rang the changes after that chance as Rodri, Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland replaced Nico O’Reilly, Phil Foden and Antoine Semenyo.
Newcastle United almost pulled another goal back in the 80th minute. The Manchester City defence failed to deal with a Newcastle free kick and the ball fell to the backpost. Anthony Elanga got on the end of it and played a dangerous ball across the goal line. Somehow no Newcastle United player tapped Elanga’s teasing cross into to make the scoreline more respectable. A minute later, Rayan Cherki slipped in Erling Haaland who saw a powerful low strike well-saved by Aaron Ramsdale.
Outside of an Erling Haaland shot which Ramsdale saved in the 85th minute, the rest of the match played out without incident. Manchester City booked secured another trip to Wembley with a 5-1 aggregate win over Newcastle where they will take on Arsenal in this season’s Carabao Cup final.
City player ratings.
James Trafford-8.5/10: Made several superb saves in the first half. Trafford’s overall performance was superb in goal.
Matheus Nunes-6.5/10: A workman like display from Nunes at right-back.
Abdukodir Khusanov-6/10: His pace at the back was key on several occasions. He was also sloppy in possession on occasions which shows how much he needs to improve on the ball.
Nathan Ake-6.5/10: Did his job well at the back throughout the first half. Taken off at halftime with Manchester City’s job done.
Rayan Ait-Nouri-7.5/10: Another good display from Ait-Nouri. He was very good going forward on occasions and is growing as a City player.
Nico-7.5/10: When the game was there to be won, Nico was superb in midfield.
Nico O’Reilly-9/10: The biggest compliment you can give Nico O’Reilly’s performance is that it was Bernardo Silva-esque. He was superb in midfield and did everything asked of him in midfield.
Phil Foden-7/10: A better performance from Foden. He had some nice touches and I thought that tonight was Foden’s best performance for some time.
Tijjani Reijnders-9/10: One of Tijjani Reijnders’ best performances as a City player. The way the first half was played suited his game and he took full advantage. Hopefully tonight’s performance from Reijnders is the one to kick him on as a City player.
Antoine Semenyo-7/10: Semenyo got into good positions and his pressing was very good. He’d likely have scored once again if his teammates spotted him unmarked at the backpost on various occasions.
Omar Marmoush-9.5/10: Bagged a brace and his movement up front was brilliant. Marmoush should start alongside Erling Haaland against Liverpool on Sunday based on his performance tonight.
Substitutes.
Max Alleyne-5.5/10: The game was over when Alleyne came on but he did look nervous throughout the second half.
Rodri-6/10: He brought stability to City’s play in the final 20 minutes. He picked up a yellow card late on which indicates how far Rodri has to come getting his touch back.
Rayan Cherki-6.5/10: Some dazzling touches and superb touches from Cherki after coming on.
Erling Haaland–6.5/10: Much better from Haaland. He was lively and had two good chances to score which were saved.
Rico Lewis-N/A: Not on long enough to mark.