BREAKING: Manchester City Vs Arsenal 2026 Carabao Cup Final Confirmed As Guardiola Vs Arteta Showdown Begins
The master and apprentice clash once again. Manchester City and Arsenal are set to face off for the championship trophy.
Manchester City defeated Newcastle United 3-1 in the second leg of the 2025-2026 season Carabao Cup (EFL Cup) semifinals held at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on the 5th (Korean time).
With an aggregate score of 5-1 across both legs, Manchester City advanced to the final, leaving Newcastle behind. Their opponent is rival Arsenal, who had already reached the final by defeating Chelsea. Pep Guardiola, Manchester City’s manager, and Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager, will meet again in a fierce competition that extends to the Premier League title race.
Manchester City started with a 4-1-4-1 formation. Omar Marmoush, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijani Reinders, Phil Foden, Antoine Semeño, Nico González, Nico O’Reilly, Nathan Aké, Abdou Diallo, and Matheus Nunes started as forwards.
Newcastle United countered with a 3-4-1-2 formation. Nick Pope, Anthony Gordon, Joe Willock, Luis Longstaff, Sandro Tonali, Jacob Ramsey, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Malik Tillman, and Aaron Ramsdale were named in the starting lineup.
Manchester City scored early. In the 7th minute of the first half, Marmoush exchanged a one-on-one pass with Reinders and penetrated the defensive space behind Newcastle’s backline. He maintained his speed to break through, and the ball deflected off a Newcastle defender and into the net after hitting Marmoush.
Manchester City extended their lead to two goals. In the 29th minute of the first half, during a counterattack, Semeño delivered a cross from the left side of the box into the penalty area. Trippier failed to clear the ball properly, and Marmoush headed it into the net for his second goal.
The match was effectively decided early. In the 32nd minute of the first half, Reinders scored a decisive third goal, virtually securing Manchester City’s place in the final. Once again, during a counterattack, Semeño calmly bypassed the defense, and Reinders, who was charging forward, finished calmly to make it 3-0. This brought the aggregate score to 5-0.
Newcastle faced further misfortune as Gordon collapsed due to a suspected hamstring injury in the closing stages of the first half. He was substituted for Harvey Barnes.
No comeback occurred in the second half. Newcastle made changes at the start of the second half, bringing on Jacob Murphy, Anthony Elanga, and Yoan Wissa for Longstaff, Willock, and Pope. Manchester City substituted Aké and brought on 2005-born defender Max Alene.
Newcastle pulled one back. In the 17th minute of the second half, Elanga broke through the right flank with a swift solo run and entered the box. He curled a left-footed shot from a narrow angle, shaking the net.
Newcastle’s hopes were dashed. In the 23rd minute of the second half, Wissa slipped past the defense and passed to Barnes, who fired a precise shot into the net. However, Wissa was ruled offside during the build-up, and the goal was disallowed. The match ended with Manchester City’s victory.
Now, Manchester City and Arsenal will compete in a single-match showdown for another trophy. The two teams will face each other on the 23rd of next month. Currently, Arsenal (53 points) and Manchester City (47 points) are leading the Premier League in first and second place, respectively. The team that wins this final could aim for a double.