City Triumphs 3-1 Over Newcastle to Book Wembley Showdown with Arsenal
4 February 2026
Match Summary
Manchester City edged Newcastle United 3-1 at the Etihad, sealing a 5-1 aggregate victory to reach the Carabao Cup final. City will face Arsenal in the Wembley showdown after the Gunners defeated Chelsea in the other semi-final by 1-0.
Omar Marmoush opened the scoring for City, firing in his first of the night in the seventh minute following a deflection off a Newcastle defender. He doubled City’s lead in the 29th minute as a defensive lapse by Trippier allowed a close-range finish. Tiijani Reinders then made it 3-0 in the 32nd, finishing a move with calm composure.
Newcastle pulled one back in the 63rd minute through Antony Elanga, but City held firm to advance with a comfortable aggregate margin.
Earlier, Arsenal had reached the final with a 1-0 win over Chelsea at the Emirates, Kai Havertz scoring the decisive goal in the 90+7th minute. The Gunners’ aggregate score stood at 4-2 in their favour, earning them a ninth final appearance and the first since 2017-2018.
Final preparations shift to Wembley on March 22, where City will look to reclaim a trophy they chased with renewed desperation, while Arsenal chase a first cup since their 2019 triumph.
Punchline 1: Marmoush’s goal reel now has its own highlight package—curiosity, misfortune, and a perfect finish all in one place.
Punchline 2: Wembley, beware—the cup is coming to town, and so is a final that promises more twists than a football soap opera.
