Football writer Tom Hancock reflects on Wednesday night’s EFL Cup quarter-finals.<\/p>\n
Manchester City 2-0 Brentford<\/p>\n
Manchester City made it six straight wins in all competitions by comfortably dispatching Brentford<\/a> to reach the EFL Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2020\/21 \u2013 when they went on to lift the trophy.<\/p>\n Pep Guardiola\u2019s side opened the scoring in style shortly after the half-hour mark at the Etihad Stadium, Rayan Cherki<\/a> bringing a loose ball down brilliantly before unleashing a thumping strike into the top-right corner from 20 yards.<\/p>\n In doing so, Man City<\/a>‘s summer signing from Lyon recorded his 11th goal involvement (four goals and seven assists) in 17 appearances across all competitions this season.<\/p>\n This was another lively outing for the Frenchman, who, in his 66 minutes on the pitch, had five touches in the Brentford penalty area \u2013 three of which were shots.<\/p>\n Not for the first time in recent months, Guardiola was singing Cherki\u2019s praises. \u201cHe\u2019s exceptional,\u201d the City manager enthused. \u201cIt was a fantastic, fantastic goal. I saw many times with Phil<\/a> [Foden<\/a>] this type of goal, Kevin<\/a> [De Bruyne<\/a>] before.\u201d<\/p>\n On a less positive note for the hosts, Oscar Bobb<\/a> was forced off injured after less than 20 minutes. Having started nine of his team\u2019s last 10 games, Foden was thrust into the action, and played just over an hour, before he was replaced.<\/p>\n With Jeremy Doku<\/a> already sidelined for the next few matches, players such as Foden and Cherki may have to play a bigger part than Guardiola might prefer over the busy festive period.<\/p>\n The City boss made full use of his considerable strength in depth to ensure City got the job done, introducing Josko Gvardiol<\/a>, Matheus Nunes<\/a> and Bernardo Silva<\/a> midway through the second half. Erling Haaland<\/a> and Ruben Dias<\/a> were unused substitutes.\u00a0<\/p>\n But it was one of City\u2019s starters who gave them an ultimately unassailable lead.<\/p>\n Darting into the Brentford penalty area on the break, Savinho<\/a>\u2019s shot deflected off the sliding Kristoffer Ajer<\/a> and looped over a helpless Hakon Valdimarsson<\/a> into the net for his second goal of the campaign \u2013 both of which have come in this competition.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s young, can play left and right side,” added Guardiola. “And he\u2019s a player that is so aggressive and with time he will improve his final decision \u2013 he will become a top, top-class player.”<\/p>\n From there on in, City were in complete control, seeing the tie out almost unthreatened, also handing a first-team debut to 19-year-old midfielder Charlie Gray.<\/p>\n City will look to continue their longest winning streak since 2023\/24, which has seen them rack up 18 goals, when they entertain struggling West Ham United<\/a> in the Premier League at 15:00 GMT on Saturday.<\/p>\n With Arsenal<\/a> not in action until 20:00 GMT on Saturday, when they visit Everton<\/a>, Guardiola\u2019s men, currently two points behind the leaders, have the opportunity to put pressure on the Gunners by taking over at the top.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Brentford, for whom this was a fifth successive away defeat in all competitions, travel to bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers<\/a> on Saturday.<\/p>\n Bees boss Keith Andrews wasn\u2019t too despondent at their EFL Cup exit, and revealed why leading goalscorer Igor Thiago was absent from the squad.<\/p>\n \u201cWe played with a lot of courage,\u201d said Andrews. \u201cI had to make some changes, with Dango<\/a> [Ouattara<\/a>] going away [to the Africa Cup of Nations] and a couple of knocks to [Igor<\/a>] Thiago<\/a> and Jordan<\/a> [Henderson<\/a>].\u201d<\/p>\n Semi-final draw: Newcastle v Man City<\/p>\n See: Man City line-up and report<\/a> | Brentford line-up and report<\/a><\/p>\n Newcastle United 2-1 Fulham<\/p>\n Lewis Miley<\/a>\u2019s stoppage-time header downed Fulham<\/a> as EFL Cup holders Newcastle<\/a> took another step closer to retaining the trophy, and quickly shook off the disappointment of Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to local rivals Sunderland<\/a> in the Tyne-Wear derby.<\/p>\n Yoane Wissa<\/a> got Newcastle off to a great start at St James\u2019 Park, opening the scoring on 10 minutes after Benjamin Lecomte<\/a> could only parry Jacob Murphy<\/a>\u2019s ball into the box.<\/p>\n Having picked up an injury just days after his summer move from Brentford, Wissa marked his first start for the club with his first goal \u2013 and head coach Eddie Howe will be hoping it\u2019s the first of many in the coming weeks, with the Magpies\u2019 No 9 not selected by DR Congo for the Africa Cup of Nations.<\/p>\n The hosts\u2019 lead was short-lived, however, an unmarked Sasa Lukic<\/a> heading in Antonee Robinson<\/a>\u2019s cross to level for Fulham six minutes later, meaning Newcastle\u2019s wait for a clean sheet extends to nine matches in all competitions.<\/p>\n Newcastle may find it difficult to keep the goals out given their injury woes at the back \u2013 which worsened before kick-off with the news of a reported injury to Lewis Hall<\/a>, forcing Miley to line up out of position at right-back.<\/p>\n But Howe would finish the night without even his one fit senior full-back, Tino Livramento<\/a>, as the England international hobbled off after 76 minutes to be replaced by youngster Alex Murphy<\/a>.<\/p>\n Defenders Dan Burn<\/a>, Kieran Trippier<\/a>, Emil Krafth<\/a> and Sven Botman<\/a> are already on the sidelines \u2013 a far from ideal situation for Newcastle, with three Premier League fixtures still to come between now and the end of the year, beginning with the Saturday lunchtime visit of Chelsea<\/a>.<\/p>\n The tie looked set to be heading for penalties, with neither side mustering a shot between the 66th minute and the 90th minute, but Miley provided the game\u2019s decisive moment, heading in from Sandro Tonali<\/a>\u2019s corner two minutes into stoppage-time.<\/p>\n It was the Newcastle academy graduate\u2019s third goal of the season, all of which have come over his last six appearances.<\/p>\n For Fulham, there will have been a profound sense of deja vu: Marco Silva\u2019s men lost by the same scoreline at St James\u2019 Park<\/a> in the league in October, on that occasion to a 90th-minute Bruno Guimaraes<\/a> goal.<\/p>\n Speaking at full-time, Howe credited his side for coming out on top in a \u201ctough game\u201d after their derby loss. \u201cBack on home soil, we controlled the game,\u201d said Howe. \u201cWe deserved to win.\u201d<\/p>\n Howe went on to laud Miley for the 19-year-old\u2019s performance playing out of position. \u201cHe hasn’t played right-back a lot and had to take on a lot of information this morning, so he did really well,\u201d he continued. \u201cHe’s here on merit; he believes that he’s more than good enough to play at this level. Not just play, but excel. He\u2019s taking his game to another level.\u201d<\/p>\n While Newcastle march on to the semi-finals, making the last four of the competition for the second season in a row for the first time, Fulham must pick themselves up as they welcome Nottingham Forest<\/a> to Craven Cottage in the Premier League on Monday night.<\/p>\n Reflecting on his team\u2019s EFL Cup exit, Fulham head coach Silva said: \u201cIt is a very tough place to come. The players were brave until the last minute of the game. Now, we need to rest \u2013 the game on Monday is very important for us.\u201d<\/p>\n See: Newcastle line-up and report<\/a> | Fulham line-up and report<\/a><\/p>\n EFL Cup quarter-finals<\/p>\n Cardiff 1-3 Chelsea EFL Cup semi-final draw<\/p>\n Chelsea v Arsenal or Crystal Palace
Man City 2-0 Brentford
Newcastle 2-1 Fulham
Arsenal v Crystal Palace<\/p>\n
Newcastle v Man City
First legs to be played the w\/c 12 January, with the second legs to be played the w\/c 2 February.<\/p>\n