Man City dump holders Liverpool out of EFL Carabao Cup

Manchester City booked their place in the quarter finals of the EFL Carabao Cup after knocking out holders Liverpool at the Etihad on Thursday night. City were in front three times during the game with the hosts bouncing back twice but unable to find a reply to Nathan Aké’s winner as it ended 2-3 on the whistle. Visiting manager Pep Guardiola and his opposite number Jürgen Klopp both named strong sides in their first game back following the World Cup.

Haaland carries on from where he left off

Erling Haaland set City on their way, getting on the end of a Cole Palmer cross to beat Caoimhín Kelleher at his near post. It was the Norwegian striker’s 24th goal of the season in all competitions. Klopp’s men were back level 10 minute later when Fabio Carvalho was free and unmarked to slot in a squared pass from James Milner. Kelleher pulled out saves to deny Gündogan and Ake but was powerless to stop Riyad Mahrez from tucking a fine effort inside the post to restored City’s advantage just two minutes after the restart. Liverpool were back level within 60 seconds - a breakaway goal with Mohamed Salah equalising after being played in by Núñez - that goal puts the Egyptian on 171 goals for Liverpool, just one behind club legend Kenny Dalglish.

Aké decides it

City continued to put their hosts under the cosh and were back in front on 58 minutes after Aké arrived at the far post to nod in another De Bruyne cross, one of several superb deliveries he produced throughout the match.

Klopp admitted that his side were outclassed on the night. “It was a difficult first 50 minutes for us, definitely,” he explained in the flash zone. “We haven’t played for a long time but we had games in pre-season, completely different line-up - Bobby in the centre, Ox on the wing, these kinds of things then we had to change pretty much after the last session. When we were a bit more compact we had our parts in the game. We played a super, super, super side - they do it extremely well. The things they do in midfield means you have to be really spot on. For the first 50 minutes we had real problems. Second half starts... it was the first shot or whatever, world class from Riyad. The goals we conceded were completely unnecessary. We played a good game but not good enough to beat City tonight”.

The quarter final draw took place not long after David Coote signalled full-time at the Etihad. City managed to avoid being drawn against their neighbours - Guardiola’s team meet Southampton in the next round. The quarter finals will be played in the week commencing 9 January 2023.

2022/23 EFL Carabao Cup quarter finals