Manchester City strike significant blow on Carabao Cup holders Newcastle in semi-final first leg
Eddie Howe’s side were beaten by two goals to nil at St. James’ Park, leaving them with a mountain to climb in the reverse leg at the Etihad in early February.
Newcastle United have had some memorable nights in the Carabao Cup over the last few years, including some historic semi-final victories. Wins have come over Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, Southampton over two legs, and most notably Arsenal also in a two-legged semi-final as well as last season’s final against Liverpool.
Against Manchester City in this season’s semi-final, Newcastle finally succumbed to a defeat in the competition, which, given that the second leg of the tie is away at the Etihad, makes the 0-2 scoreline a very sizeable deficit to overcome.
Flags were waved depicting a silhouette of Wembley Stadium ahead of kick off in the Leazes End, with a banner reading “Gannin’ alang Wembley Way”. After the full time whistle the possibility of a black and white sea once again making its way towards the famous arch felt rather distant.
Newcastle did not play poorly in this encounter, but the toll of enduring an FA Cup tie against Bournemouth on Saturday that went the full distance was evident to see at stages. The Magpies will rue missed chances though, despite the fatigue that plagued them in spells.
Yoane Wissa should have done better with an opportunity early in the first half, before Newcastle’s number 9 saw a header clawed away from nestling in the net by James Trafford. Magpies’ captain Bruno Guimarães struck the post, and Nick Woltemade saw the chance of a header whistle narrowly past his head. They were important moments not taken.
The visitors Manchester City also had moments, and two of them were taken. The first came from Antoine Semenyo, a player who has recently made the move from Bournemouth. The irony of his goal comes from the fact if this were year ago he would not have been able to have play in this tie, as a result of being cup tied.
With that rule not longer enforced, Semenyo took full advantage and gave his side the lead. He would have had two, if not for a lengthy VAR check that ultimately deemed Erling Haaland to have been offside and interfering with Nick Pope from a corner.
Newcastle looked to draw level, to give them parity going into the second leg, but a late strike from Rayan Cherki left the Magpies wounded, with the prospect of having to score at least three times at the Etihad not being a pleasant one.
There is, of course, one caveat. Newcastle United under Eddie Howe have never played by the rules. The Magpies have won away at Old Trafford, the Emirates and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium under his leadership. In the not so distant past Newcastle sides turned up at those venues with the result being a forgone conclusion.
Winning away at Manchester City is one challenge they have not yet passed, but what a time the second leg would be to break that sequence. Eddie Howe pointed out that there is lots of football to be played between now and then, and that it is impossible to predict what state both sides will be in come early February.
It will certainly have to be one of those special nights for Newcastle next month, because on this occasion it was certainly short of that. Reaching Wembley again may be something of a dream now, but what is football if not for dreams?