Carabao Cup: Manchester City beat Newcastle to play final against Arsenal at Wembley

Arsenal and Manchester City – the current top two in the Premier League will face off at Wembley Stadium in the League Cup (Carabao Cup) final next month, after the latter defeated Newcastle 3-1 on Wednesday to record a 5-1 win on aggregate in the semi-finals.

Both City and Arsenal are still fighting for a clean sweep of trophies this season. The League Cup is the chance to highlight the first big success this season and possibly deal a psychological blow in the race for the title.

«We are here to win trophies and we are doing our best every day to reach these finals and win the silverware,» City striker Omar Marmoush, who scored two goals that night, told City. Air sports.

Arsenal currently lead the standings, six points ahead of second-place City. Both teams have progressed to the round of 16 of the Champions League and the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The League Cup final is on March 22.

«It’s a pleasure to play against Arsenal, the best team in Europe and perhaps the world today,» said City manager Pep Guardiola. “As much as we can play against them, it will make us a better, better team.”

Two first-half goals from Marmoush at the Etihad effectively shut Newcastle down in a semi-final, with City leading 2-0 from the first leg. Tijjani Reijnders added another before halftime.

Newcastle scored a consolation through substitute Anthony Elanga to avoid what looked like a defeat after the first 45 minutes.

Arsenal booked their place in the final with a 1-0 win against Chelsea on Tuesday, sealing a 4-2 aggregate win.

The final will continue the recent rivalry between the clubs, which saw City beat Arsenal to the title in 2023 and 2024. On both occasions, Arsenal had taken the lead before going down the drain.

Mikel Arteta’s team is back in the lead this season and is aiming to win the title for the first time since 2004.

The League Cup would be Arteta’s first major trophy since his debut season as Arsenal manager when he won the FA Cup in 2020.

He was previously Guardiola’s assistant at City and victory in the final would see him finally beat his former boss and win a major trophy.

Guardiola, meanwhile, will have the chance to win a 16th major trophy since taking charge of City in 2016 and his fifth League Cup.

City will be looking to win the trophy for a ninth time and move within one of Liverpool’s record 10 in the competition.

Arsenal have won the trophy twice, most recently in 1993.

This year’s final will be a repeat of 2018, when Arteta was part of Guardiola’s coaching team as City triumphed.

Marmoush scored City’s opener in the seventh minute when Dan Burn’s tackle rebounded off the Egypt international and into the net.

His second came after another defensive error in the 29th when Kieran Trippier’s attempt to head the ball in from close range set up Marmoush.

Reijnders scored the third from the penalty area three minutes later.

Elanga’s goal came in the 62nd and Newcastle had opportunities to score more.

Published on February 5, 2026