Manchester City to Challenge Newcastle in EFL Cup SF

Manchester City will look to secure their place in the final of the 2025–2026 English Football League Cup when they host Newcastle United on Wednesday night at the Etihad Stadium, in the second leg of the semi-final.

City enter the match with a comfortable advantage after claiming a 2–0 away victory at St James’ Park in the first leg, thanks to goals from Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki. 

The result has put Pep Guardiola’s side in a strong position ahead of the return fixture, while leaving Newcastle facing an uphill task to overturn the deficit and keep their hopes alive.

Newcastle arrive in Manchester buoyed by the memory of last season’s historic success, when they lifted their first domestic trophy since 1955 by defeating Liverpool at Wembley in March. 

However, reaching the final for a second consecutive season now represents a major challenge against a dominant City side on their home turf.

For their part, Manchester City are aiming to reach the EFL Cup final for the ninth time in the club’s history. 

The reigning champions of the competition on eight occasions, four of them under Guardiolala, st lifted the trophy in the 2020–2021 season, underlining their recent dominance in the tournament.