Manchester City Cruise into 2026 Carabao Cup Final with 5-1 Aggregate Win Over Newcastle

Manchester City booked their place in the 2026 Carabao Cup final with a dominant 3-1 victory over Newcastle United in the second leg of their semi-final tie at the Etihad Stadium on February 4, 2026.

The result completed a commanding 5-1 aggregate triumph for Pep Guardiola’s side, following their 2-0 win in the first leg at St James’ Park.

City controlled the first half, scoring three goals to effectively end the tie before halftime. Omar Marmoush opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a clinical finish and doubled his tally in the 29th minute to make it 2-0 on the night (4-0 aggregate). Tijjani Reijnders added a third in the 32nd minute, putting City 5-0 ahead overall. Newcastle responded after the break, with Anthony Elanga scoring a consolation goal in the 62nd minute through an impressive individual effort, but the visitors could not mount a meaningful comeback.

Goalkeeper James Trafford made several key saves for City, helping preserve the clean sheet until Elanga’s late strike. The match, which kicked off around 8:00 PM UK time, showcased City’s attacking fluency and defensive solidity, reinforcing their status as favourites to lift the trophy.

Manchester City now advance to face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at Wembley Stadium in London, with kick-off scheduled for 4:30 PM UK time (16:30 BST). The final is a repeat of the 2017-18 contest, which City won 3-0 under Guardiola. Arsenal secured their place with a 1-0 second-leg victory over Chelsea on February 3, completing a 4-2 aggregate win, sealed by Kai Havertz’s dramatic 90+7th-minute winner at the Emirates.

The 2026 final pits two of English football’s most consistent sides against each other. City, chasing a potential domestic treble or more, bring their depth, tactical flexibility, and recent trophy-winning pedigree. Arsenal, under Mikel Arteta, arrive with momentum from their semi-final heroics and a growing belief they can end a long wait for silverware in this competition (last won in 2017).

Both clubs have navigated challenging domestic and European campaigns leading into the final. The match promises high stakes, tactical intrigue, and a showcase of Premier League talent on one of English football’s biggest stages.