Man City 3 Newcastle 1 (City win 5-1 on agg)
Only the ally turned enemy, Mikel Arteta, who was by his side for the first two of his four Wembley triumphs in this competition, can deny him a fifth, which would take him clear of Brian Clough, Jose Mourinho and Alex Ferguson.
Newcastle could not halt him. Their defence of their first major trophy since 1969 ended with a whimper. Their chances of a comeback were all but ended inside seven minutes, gone completely after 32 minutes and snuffed out in part by the goalkeeper they forever try to buy. They were dispatched from the competition by a much-weakened City side.
Even as Guardiola gave Erling Haaland 70 minutes of rest, he had the ideal alternative. Some 42pc of Omar Marmoush’s City goals have been against Newcastle, even if his double came in distinctly fortunate fashion. Newcastle had no such luck, no potency when it mattered. Wembley glory last year came courtesy of Alexander Isak but the Swede is gone and so, now, is their trophy.
Anthony Gordon, their outstanding individual over 180 minutes in the 2025 semi-final against Arsenal, limped off.
The sad reality for Newcastle is that City progressed while prioritising Sunday’s trip to Liverpool. Rodri, Rayan Cherki, the fit-again Ruben Dias and Gianluigi Donnarumma joined Haaland on the bench, though Guardiola ended up summoning three of them for the last 20 minutes.
The injured Bernardo Silva was not even a replacement. Nico O’Reilly stood in as a midfielder, as he had done at St James’ Park, and again impressed. And much of the hard work was done on Tyneside.
In the rematch, their task was to avoid a repeat of Sunday. City had squandered a 2-0 lead over Tottenham. They entered this with the same advantage, and produced a very different outcome. They were soon ahead. Minus Haaland, Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo were the spearheads of a 4-2-2-2 formation. Each was prominent from the off.
For his first goal, as Dan Burn tackled Marmoush, the ball ricocheted in off the Egyptian. There may have been something symbolic in that: Burn scored the towering header in last season’s final and now, in his defensive duties, he inadvertently contributed to City leading.
Marmoush’s second came courtesy of Kieran Trippier, in attempting to clear Semenyo’s low cross, only succeeded in spooning the ball up in the air. Marmoush headed it over the line from a yard.
Semenyo played a part in two goals in the second. When Burn tackled him, the ball fell for Tijjani Reijnders to finish. The Dutchman should have scored a second from a similar position, though, at that stage, it would have felt cruel to score City’s sixth of the tie.
Because Newcastle’s hopes had been snuffed out by a man invariably on their wishlist. Eddie Howe targets James Trafford every summer. The goalkeeper demonstrated why.
Fine saves from Joe Willock, Gordon and Kieran Trippier, all at 1-0, denied United an equaliser on the night. He later denied Sven Botman in what was probably the finest display of his City career and, even without getting the reward of a clean sheet, pressed his case to play at Wembley.
If Guardiola’s selection choices worked, Howe’s did not. He had used a back three to considerable success in last season’s semi-final against Arsenal. Repeating that strategy backfired. Despite Newcastle’s many defenders, they were caught on the break for City’s second and third goals.
When Howe made a triple attacking change, the opportunities Newcastle fashioned should leave them with regrets they were not more positive from the off. Yoane Wissa missed a terrific chance with his first touch.
But, some 32 games into his Newcastle career, Anthony Elanga finally scored his first goal. The former Manchester United winger’s name was chorused by the travelling Tynesiders and he ought to have had a second. Harvey Barnes also looked a threat.
It prompted Guardiola to send for Rodri, Cherki and Haaland and, from the Frenchman’s pass, the Norwegian had a shot tipped onto the post by Aaron Ramsdale.
Some of the City faithful still stayed away. The empty seats were referenced in taunts by Newcastle fans. Perhaps their City counterparts were saving their money for their Wembley trip against Arsenal.