City will face the Gunners at Wembley next month.
Manchester City eased into the EFL Cup final as they ended Newcastle United‘s title defence with a comfortable 3-1 win in the second leg of their semi-final tie.
Newcastle entered the game with a mountain to climb following a 2-0 defeat in the first leg at St James’ Park, but two fortuitous Omar Marmoush goals effectively ended their hopes of retaining the trophy they won at Wembley last March.
Despite some promising attacking moments from Newcastle, the game soon turned into a damage limitation mission after Tijjani Reijnders padded City’s already comfortable lead.
Yet Newcastle suffered more damage when Anthony Gordon was forced off with a hamstring injury before half-time.
The Magpies did improve in the second half and got some reward through Anthony Elanga’s first goal for the club. They had chances to make the aggregate scoreline look more flattering, but Newcastle will have to turn their hopes to other competitions after City easily booked a Wembley final with Premier League leaders Arsenal next month.
Marmoush makes most of Newcastle misfortune
Newcastle got a very early indicator it was not going to be their evening when Marmoush broke the deadlock in the seventh minute with a goal he knew little about.
The Egyptian was played in behind and raced down the left channel. Dan Burn came across to cover, but his sliding tackle saw the ball deflect off Marmoush and loop over the helpless Aaron Ramsdale.
Newcastle had opportunities to respond but were thwarted by a goalkeeper they tried to sign in the summer in James Trafford.
Trafford, in for the rested Gianluigi Donnarumma, did superbly to prevent Joe Willock from rounding him following neat build-up play from Nick Woltemade and Gordon, who was then denied by a fine save after Newcastle went the direct route from a goal-kick.
Newcastle’s frustration was compounded as the impressive Reijnders played in Antoine Semenyo and, after Kieran Trippier could only send his attempted clearance skywards, Marmoush was on the spot to nod home from point-blank range.
There was a slightly smaller degree of fortune about City’s third, which came as the hosts once again effectively beat the Newcastle press. Reijnders surged into acres of space on the counter and, after Burn’s challenge on Semenyo fell into his path, the Dutchman slotted into the bottom-right corner with consummate ease.
After Gordon limped off to be replaced by Harvey Barnes, Eddie Howe made three extra changes at half-time aimed at protecting his side ahead of two key Premier League fixtures with Brentford and Tottenham.
Manchester City set up mouthwatering final
Jacob Murphy, Elanga and Yoane Wissa were all thrown into the fray and the latter should have scored after a dreadful defensive error to start the second half from City.
Reijnders wasted a gilt-edged chance to make it 4-0, before Newcastle made the scoreline more respectable with their first goal at the Etihad Stadium since 2018.
Elanga belatedly opened his account for Newcastle as he cut in from the right on a surging run into the box and bent an unerring finish in off the post.
Harvey Barnes then had a goal rightly ruled out for offside, but then appeared to be onside when he went through and squared for Elanga, only for the Swede to skew wide with the goal at his mercy.
Marmoush blazed over a glorious opportunity for a hat-trick and, after Elanga flashed an effort across the face of goal at the other end, substitute Erling Haaland was denied by a pair of fine Ramsdale saves.
Haaland’s frustration was a mere footnote, though. City can look forward to a mouthwatering final with the Gunners. Newcastle, meanwhile, will eventually be able to reflect on an impressive defence of the trophy before a tie that proved one too far.
