Manchester City showed their class once again, brushing aside Newcastle United to secure their spot in the 2026 Carabao Cup final. In the second leg of the semi-final at the Etihad Stadium on February 4, 2026, Pep Guardiola's side ran out 3-1 winners on the night, completing a convincing 5-1 aggregate victory over the defending champions.
The game was decided early. Omar Marmoush opened the scoring in the 7th minute, adding a second with a header just before the half-hour mark. Tijjani Reijnders made it 3-0 soon after with a clinical finish from a flowing team move. Newcastle pulled one back through a stunning solo effort from Anthony Elanga in the 62nd minute, but it was nothing more than a consolation as City cruised through.
Coming off a 2-0 first-leg win at St James' Park—thanks to goals from Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki—City never looked troubled. They controlled possession (around 63%), fired more shots on target, and looked sharp even with some rotation in the squad. James Trafford in goal was solid when called upon, and the team showed why they've been so dominant in this competition over the years.
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How to watch Man City vs Newcastle United Premier League match online for free?
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When is the Carabao Cup Final 2026 date and kick-off time?
The 2026 Carabao Cup Final is scheduled for Sunday, 22 March 2026 at Wembley Stadium.
Kick-off is typically 4:30 PM GMT / 10:00 PM IST (India time).
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This win sets up an exciting final against Arsenal at Wembley on March 22, 2026. It’ll be a rematch of past finals, and Guardiola has a shot at lifting the trophy for an unprecedented fifth time. Fans are already calling the Etihad "Wembley North" with how often City reach these big games!
Social media lit up right after the whistle. On X (formerly Twitter), Manchester City supporters celebrated the "masterclass" and Marmoush's hot streak against Newcastle. Posts flooded in praising the early blitz, with one viral clip of Reijnders' goal getting thousands of likes
Newcastle fans were disappointed but admitted City were too strong, with some chatting about Elanga's "worldie" goal as a small positive. Over on Instagram and Facebook, highlight reels and memes comparing Pep's side to a machine went viral, while LinkedIn had pros discussing the tactical edge and squad depth. Everyone's talking about how City bounced back strongly in cup competitions this season.
Newcastle, despite the loss, showed fight in patches, but they couldn't match City's firepower. Eddie Howe’s team will now focus on the Premier League and other cups, but exiting the Carabao Cup stings after winning it last year.
For City, this is another step toward silverware. With the final against Arsenal looming, the buzz is real—can they add another trophy to the cabinet? Football fans everywhere will be watching.