**Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed details on his chat with Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali after Wednesday night’s win in the Carabao Cup semi-final.**
The Blues will face Arsenal in the final after a brace from Omar Marmoush and another goal from Tijjani Reijnders helped City to a 3-1 win in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie with the Magpies.
City remain in the hunt for a fifth Premier League title in six seasons, though the jury remains out on whether Guardiola and co can sustain their aspirations for silverware in the business end of the campaign after a poor start to 2026.
Guardiola’s men have won just one of their last six Premier League games and after squandering a two goal lead against Tottenham last weekend, City must win against Liverpool on Sunday to keep up with leaders Arsenal.
Marc Guehi is expected to return to the starting XI at Anfield after being ineligible to feature for Manchester City in their Carabao Cup semi-final return leg win over Newcastle, with Guardiola pleading for a rule change after Wednesday’s win to be able to call upon his £20 million January signing against Arsenal in the final.
[The EFL will not allow a rule change to allow Guehi to do so however](https://cityxtra.co.uk/), though Guardiola will has plenty on his mind to worry too much about the Carabao Cup final, with City needing a change in fortunes in the Premier League to hunt Arsenal down.
City returned to winning ways against Newcastle United and the Blues could welcome Ruben Dias back to the starting XI in Merseyside at the weekend, with the 28-year-old making the matchday squad for Wednesday’s 3-1 triumph.
Guardiola was spotted by cameras in conversation with Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali after City’s win, with the Catalan providing a peak through the curtain into his chat with Italy international in his post-match press conference.
“What did I say (to Sandro Tonali)? My Italian is perfect, so that’s why I can communicate with him,” the Manchester City manager said.
“And we have an incredible friend in common from Brescia, Edoardo Piovani. And every time we are connected, I know his father some time ago.
“All the time we met, we talked about his experience in Milan, the supporters, and how happy he is in Newcastle. He’s a really, really top player, top, top, top player!”
City cannot afford more dropped points in the Premier League and with Arsenal entering this weekend’s fixtures with a six point advantage, it is really now or never for the Blues to turn the ship around and go on a major winning run.