Manchester City booked a Wembley date with Arsenal in the League Cup final after blowing away holders Newcastle with a blistering first-half display in a 3-1 win Wednesday.
Already in control after their semifinal first-leg victory on Tyneside in January, Pep Guardiola’s side showed no mercy at the Etihad Stadium. Omar Marmoush struck twice before the break, with Tijjani Reijnders also on target, as City effectively decided the contest inside 45 minutes.
Anthony Elanga pulled one back for Newcastle after the interval, but it proved little more than a consolation as City sealed a dominant 5-1 aggregate victory and returned to the League Cup showpiece for the first time since 2021.
The final will be played March 22 at Wembley, where City will meet Arsenal after the Premier League leaders eliminated Chelsea on Tuesday.
Reaching the final was a welcome tonic for Guardiola following the frustration of surrendering a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw at Tottenham on Sunday, a result that dealt a major blow to City’s title challenge.
With a crucial trip to Liverpool looming this weekend, City trail Arsenal by six points in the Premier League title race.
The League Cup was the first silverware of Guardiola’s City reign when they beat Arsenal in the 2018 final, with current Gunners manager Mikel Arteta then working as the Spaniard’s assistant.
City went on to win the competition for the next three years but have not lifted the trophy since 2021.
“We will travel to London again. They will wait for us there. They never travel to the north for finals, but I am really happy to be back. Five League Cup finals in 10 years is a big milestone,” Guardiola said.
“It will be good. You have to live this experience. The first title we won here was in the League Cup.
“When you win something, it helps you win more. It’s a pleasure to play against Arsenal, the best team right now in Europe and maybe the world.”
Guardiola has used sarcasm and statistics this week to defend City against claims their success has been driven by the financial muscle of their Abu Dhabi-based owners.
The City manager pointed out that six English clubs have spent more than his side over the past five years, though he acknowledged he will never win over his critics.
Guardiola’s only way to silence the outside noise, and mounting suggestions that City are a team in decline, is with silverware.
After finishing last season without a trophy for the first time in eight years, Guardiola would relish ending City’s barren spell at Arsenal’s expense.
With Sunday’s showdown at Liverpool in mind, Guardiola made six changes, leaving Erling Haaland, Rodri and Rayan Cherki on the bench.
Haaland had scored just twice in his previous 11 games in all competitions, and his replacement made an immediate impact as Marmoush put City ahead with a stroke of luck in the seventh minute.
Marmoush burst into the Newcastle penalty area and, when Dan Burn made a last-ditch tackle, the ball rebounded off the Egypt forward and looped into the net.
James Trafford preserved City’s lead, saving from Joe Willock and Anthony Gordon in quick succession.
Marmoush struck again in the 29th minute, heading in from virtually on the goal line after Kieran Trippier failed to clear Antoine Semenyo’s cross.
That capped an incisive City counterattack, and Newcastle were cut open again three minutes later.
Reijnders led the break, picked out Semenyo and raced into the area to finish the Ghanaian’s return pass with a clinical low drive from 12 yards.
City barely moved out of first gear in the second half, and Elanga pulled one back in the 62nd minute, curling into the far corner after slaloming through the defense.
