MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City defeated Newcastle 3-1 on Wednesday to secure a 5-1 victory on aggregate and advance to the English League Cup final.
The club will face Arsenal at Wembley Stadium on March 22. Both teams currently sit at the top of the Premier League standings, making this a highly anticipated final.
Marmoush Scores Twice in Semifinal Victory
Omar Marmoush scored two goals in the first half at the Etihad Stadium, effectively ending Newcastle's hopes of a comeback. City had taken a 2-0 lead into the second leg.
"We're here to win trophies and we give our best every day to reach these finals and win the silverware," Marmoush told Sky Sports.
Tijjani Reijnders added another goal before halftime. Newcastle scored a consolation goal through substitute Anthony Elanga in the 62nd minute.
City Faces Arsenal in Cup Final
Arsenal booked its place in the final with a 1-0 win against Chelsea on Tuesday, sealing a 4-2 aggregate victory.
"It's a pleasure to play against Arsenal, the best team right now in Europe, maybe the world," City manager Pep Guardiola said. "As much as we can play against them, it will make us a better team."
Arsenal currently leads the Premier League by six points over second-place City. Both clubs have advanced to the round of 16 in the Champions League and the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Rivalry Continues at Wembley
The final will continue the recent rivalry between the clubs. Manchester City won the Premier League title in 2023 and 2024 after overtaking Arsenal in both seasons.
Arsenal currently leads the standings again and aims to win the title for the first time since 2004. Manager Mikel Arteta was formerly Guardiola's assistant at City.
A victory in the final would be Arteta's first major trophy since winning the FA Cup in 2020. For Guardiola, it would be his 16th major trophy since taking over at City in 2016 and his fifth League Cup.