Newcastle United have now been freed up to concentrate on the Champions League, as Manchester City have progressed to the Mickey Mouse final.
Eddie Howe a relieved man, as he can now put all of his energies into Europe’s premier competition.
As Pep Guardiola left with the unwanted burden of this Mickey Mouse cup final on top of all their other commitments.
The Manchester City fans showed their contempt for the competition, with around half the home seats empty, indeed, Man City not even bothering to open large sections of the ground.
A 3-1 win on the night for the home side, 5-1 on aggregate for Manchester City.
However, the real winner was Eddie Howe and Newcastle United, who having ticked this trophy off last season, can now leave it to Arsenal and Manchester City to waste unnecessary energies on this Mickey Mouse cup.
It was way back in 2021 when Manchester City last won the League Cup and a humiliating 33 years since Arsenal last won it, so maybe no wonder that Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta have been so desperate to try and win this Mickey Mouse silverware…
(PS: I can now cancel my hotel room in Wembley that I had booked for the Carabao Cup final weekend and get my money back…)
Manchester City 3 Newcastle 1 – Wednesday 4 February 2026 8pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United :
Elanga 62
Man City:
Marmoush 7, 29 Reijnders 32
Possession was Newcastle 37% Man City 63%
Total shots were Newcastle 12 Man City 18
Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Man City 8
Corners were Newcastle 4 Man City 5
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 14 Man City 34
Newcastle team v Man City:
Ramsdale, Trippier (Osula 76), Thiaw, Botman, Burn, Hall (Jacob Murphy 46), Tonali, Ramsey, Willock (Elanga 46), Gordon (Barnes 44), Woltemade (Wissa 46)
Subs:
Pope, Alex Murphy, Neave, Shahar