Manchester City booked their place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Brentford in a tense quarter-final clash. Rayan Cherki’s stunning strike and a deflected goal from Savinho sealed progression for Pep Guardiola’s side, who will now face Newcastle United in a two-legged semi-final.
Cherki’s Moment of Brilliance
Cherki, the French forward, opened the scoring shortly after the half-hour mark. Picking up the ball on the edge of the penalty area, he cut onto his right foot and unleashed a thunderous strike into the top corner, leaving stand-in Brentford goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson with no chance.
Cherki’s goal was his fourth of the season, and it demonstrated his growing influence at City since joining from Lyon.
Savinho Seals the Win
City doubled their advantage in the 67th minute when Savinho’s deflected strike looped over Valdimarsson and into the net. The goal confirmed City’s dominance and ensured progression to the semi-finals, just one step away from a potential Wembley trip.
Brentford’s Missed Opportunities
Brentford started the match brightly and created several chances:
- Abdukodir Khusanov tripped Kevin Schade near the edge of the box, but only received a yellow card from referee Sam Barrott, leaving Brentford players furious. With no VAR available, the on-field decision stood.
- Kristoffer Ajer had a powerful drive brilliantly saved by James Trafford, while Nico O’Reilly’s long-range effort was comfortably stopped.
Despite a solid display, Brentford were unable to break through City’s defence, marking their fifth loss in six matches against Manchester City.
City Maintain December Momentum
This victory marked City’s sixth straight win in all competitions, extending their flawless December record. The team has already played five games this month and will continue their busy schedule with Premier League fixtures in the coming days.
With City currently two points behind Arsenal in the league and progressing in the Champions League, Guardiola’s squad is balancing multiple competitions. The Carabao Cup remains a secondary priority, but a semi-final appearance offers a chance to claim silverware after last season’s trophy drought.
Injury Concerns
City’s squad is already impacted by absences:
- Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri are at the Africa Cup of Nations.
- Jeremy Doku, John Stones, and Rodri are sidelined with injuries.
- Oscar Bobb hobbled off injured in the first half, replaced by in-form Phil Foden, who nearly scored a seventh goal in his last six games.
Guardiola will hope Bobb’s injury does not worsen before upcoming fixtures.
Brentford Analysis: No VAR Controversy
Manager Keith Andrews expressed frustration over the yellow card decision for Khusanov:
“I’m very quick to defend officials generally, but that was one they didn’t get right. If it’s a red card, it’s a big advantage for us, but we’ll never know.”
Without VAR, Brentford had no recourse, and the Bees fell at the quarter-final stage for the second consecutive season, having previously been eliminated by eventual winners Newcastle United.
What’s Next
- Manchester City: Host West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
- Brentford: Travel to Wolves, who sit at the bottom of the table, at the same time.
Player of the Match
- Rayan Cherki (Manchester City) – Average rating: 8.53
Other notable City performers:
- Savinho – 7.60
- Phil Foden – 7.49
- James Trafford – 7.01
Brentford standout:
- Hakon Valdimarsson – 5.67
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