Marmoush Shatters Newcastle, Manchester City Advances to English League Cup Final

Manchester City confidently advanced to the English League Cup final. The Citizens thrashed Newcastle United 3-1 in the second leg semifinal at Etihad Stadium early Thursday, February 25, 2026 WIB. This victory sends City to the final at Wembley.

Pep Guardiola's side started with a 2-0 advantage from the first leg. Omar Marmoush became the center of attention with two quick goals. 

Meanwhile, Tijjani Reijnders added to the visitors' misery with a cool finish from a counterattack. Newcastle only managed to reply through Anthony Elanga.

High pressure from the start yielded a goal in the 7th minute. Marmoush fired from the penalty box to open the scoring. City controlled the tempo, forcing Newcastle into deep defense while maintaining relentless pressure.

City extended their lead in the 7th minute, showcasing Marmoush's sharpness. The Egyptian striker doubled his tally in the 29th minute, making it 2-0 for City. 

Three minutes later, Reijnders capitalized on a swift transition to widen the gap to 3-0. The first half ended with absolute home dominance, while Newcastle struggled to break Free from pressure.

The second half offered brief respite for the visitors. Substitutions, including Elanga's introduction, made Newcastle more adventurous in attack. 

The result came in the 62nd minute when Elanga converted Malick Thiaw's pass to reduce the deficit. 

Guardiola responded by bringing on Rodri and Erling Haaland, locking down the game and halting Newcastle's momentum. 

City regained dominance until the final whistle, securing a 3-1 win and 5-1 aggregate that confirmed the quality gap between both teams.

In the final, City will face Arsenal. The Gunners eliminated Chelsea 4-2 on aggregate. The English League Cup final will be held on March 22, 2026 at Wembley Stadium, London.