A place at Wembley is on the line tonight, Wednesday, February 4, 2026, as Manchester City hosts Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium for the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final. The "Citizens" hold a commanding 2-0 aggregate lead after a clinical performance at St James' Park three weeks ago.
The winner of this clash will face Arsenal in the final on March 22, after the Gunners eliminated Chelsea yesterday.
Match Details
Fixture: Manchester City vs Newcastle United
Competition: EFL Cup (Carabao Cup) Semi-Final, 2nd Leg
Aggregate: Man City 2–0 Newcastle
Date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Time: 20:00 GMT
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Tony Harrington
Pre-Match Analysis
Manchester City: Chasing a 10th Final
Pep Guardiola’s side is in a strong position to reach their 10th EFL Cup final. Goals from January signing Antoine Semenyo and the creative Rayan Cherki in the first leg have given them a significant cushion. However, City arrives with a point to prove after a frustrating 2-2 draw against Tottenham last weekend, where they squandered a two-goal lead—a rare lapse in concentration for the reigning world champions.
City's historical dominance at home against the Magpies is staggering; Newcastle has lost 11 consecutive matches at the Etihad. Guardiola will likely emphasize ball retention to frustrate a Newcastle side that must score early to stay in the tie.
Newcastle United: The Impossible Comeback?
The defending EFL Cup holders face a monumental task. To defend their trophy, they must become only the second team in the competition's history to overturn a two-goal first-leg deficit. Eddie Howe’s squad is currently weathering a severe injury storm and a dip in form, having won only once in their last seven competitive games.
Fresh off a 4-1 defeat at Anfield, the "Magpies" will need to rediscover the defensive grit that defined their cup win last season. With several key midfielders out, the pressure rests on Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon to spark a miracle in Manchester.
Team News & Injury Reports
Manchester City Team News
Injuries: City is facing a defensive crisis. Joško Gvardiol (tibial fracture), John Stones (thigh), and Jeremy Doku (calf) remain sidelined. Rúben Dias has returned to training but is unlikely to start.
Ineligible: New center-back signing Marc Guéhi is cup-tied and cannot feature.
Doubtful: Rayan Cherki is being monitored after picking up a knock against Spurs, but he is expected to play.
Player to Watch: Antoine Semenyo. The £64m man has five goal contributions since arriving in January and scored the opener in the first leg.
Newcastle United Team News
Midfield Crisis: Captain Bruno Guimarães (ankle) and Lewis Miley are expected to miss out, joining Joelinton and Tino Livramento on the injury list.
Defensive Holes: Fabian Schär (ankle) and Emil Krafth (knee) are out, though Sven Botman is fit.
Player to Watch: Anthony Gordon. His pace on the counter-attack remains Newcastle's best chance of breaching a depleted City backline.
Predicted Starting Lineups
Manchester City (4-2-3-1):
Trafford; Nunes, Khusanov, Aké, Ait-Nouri; Rodri, O’Reilly; Cherki (or Foden), Bernardo Silva, Semenyo; Haaland.
Newcastle United (4-3-3):
Nick Pope; Trippier, Botman, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Longstaff, Willock; Gordon, Woltemade, Barnes.
Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats
Aggregate History: Only one team (Aston Villa in 1993/94) has ever overturned a 2-0 first-leg semi-final deficit to progress.
Home Dominance: Newcastle hasn't won at the Etihad since the 2014/15 season.
Cup Pedigree: City has progressed from each of their last six semi-final appearances in this competition.
Reverse Fixture: Newcastle 0-2 Man City (Semenyo 13', Cherki 74').
Prediction: Man City 2-1 Newcastle (4-1 on Aggregate)
While Newcastle will likely play with the desperation of a defending champion, Manchester City’s control at the Etihad is usually total. Even with defensive injuries, the presence of Rodri and the goal-scoring threat of Haaland and Semenyo should be enough to see City comfortably through to Wembley.
Top Betting Tips:
Match Result: Man City to Win. Their home record against Newcastle is too dominant to ignore.
To Qualify: Man City. A two-goal cushion at home is a massive mountain for a depleted Newcastle.
Anytime Goalscorer: Erling Haaland. After a quiet weekend, "The Cyborg" is due a goal in a high-stakes cup tie.
