Man City have a one-goal advantage over Newcastle as Pep Guardiola eyes another League Cup triumph as the two sides go head-to-head for a place at Wembley Stadium
Looking to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg, EFL Cup holders Newcastle United head to the Etihad Stadium for a crucial second-leg clash against Manchester City on Wednesday night. The winner of this all-Premier League semi-final will book a place at Wembley Stadium on March 22, where they will face either Arsenal or Chelsea in the final.
Manchester City are firmly in control of the tie after securing a 2-0 victory at St James’ Park three weeks ago, thanks to goals from Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki. Under Pep Guardiola, City are aiming to reach their 23rd domestic cup final at Wembley. Historically, City have progressed to the EFL Cup final in five of the previous six occasions when winning the first leg of a semi-final, with their only slip-up coming against Manchester United in 2009-10. The Citizens are also seeking their first EFL Cup triumph since the 2020-21 season and ninth in their history; only Liverpool (10) have lifted the trophy more times than City.
However, since that first-leg win, Guardiola’s side have experienced a dip in form, recording two wins, one draw, and two defeats. Most recently, they were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw by Tottenham in North London, squandering a two-goal half-time lead for the first time since April 2018. In the Premier League this season, City have scored six unanswered goals in the first half but have conceded six without reply in the second half in 2026, highlighting a growing concern over their performances after the break. This inconsistency has seen them fall six points behind leaders Arsenal, with 14 matches remaining.
Despite these setbacks, City will be confident returning to the Etihad, where they have won 14 of their 18 home games in all competitions this season. They also boast a formidable record against Newcastle at home, winning each of their last 11 meetings by an aggregate score of 37-3, including a 4-0 Premier League victory in February 2025.
Newcastle began their EFL Cup defense with victories over Bradford, Tottenham, and Fulham, but their 10-match winning streak in the competition—stretching back to the start of the 2024-25 season—was snapped by City in the first leg. Conceding a second goal in the 98th minute was a “body blow” for the Magpies, but head coach Eddie Howe remains optimistic, insisting his side are “still fighting” to become only the second team to overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit in an EFL Cup semi-final, after Aston Villa achieved the feat against Tranmere in 1993-94.
Newcastle face a daunting task, having lost 17 of their last 18 visits to Manchester City and only managing one win at the Etihad in the past 22 years—a 2-0 EFL Cup victory in October 2014. Their away form this season has also been disappointing, with just three wins from 16 matches in all competitions. Most recently, they let a one-goal lead slip to lose 4-1 at Liverpool, leaving them 10th in the Premier League and six points off the top five.
Nevertheless, the Magpies can take some encouragement from their record against City in this competition, having knocked them out in both 2014 and 2023. They also defeated Guardiola’s side 2-1 in the Premier League in November and will be aiming to beat City twice in the same season for the first time since 1983-84.
Man City vs NewcastleBetting Tips
- Both teams to score – 87/100 (Betfred)
- Nick Woltemade to score anytime – 19/10 (Betfred)
- Man City to win 2-1 – 15/2 (Betfred)
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