Treble winners Manchester City faced their first defeat of the season exiting the Carabao Cup third round via 1-0 loss to Newcastle .
City went in to the game to win it dominating in the first half while enjoying ball possession , however failing to take advantage of their situation that left Newcastle on the back foot.
However all took a turn for the best for Newcastle in the second half as the came ack a transformed squad.
Through an Aleksander Isak’s 53rd minute strike , Newcastle got the all important goal that edged out the EPL champions and book them a fourth round date with Manchester United.
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Manchester City’s Rico Lewis came close to leveling the scores in the final leg of the match , but their fate was already decided.
This is the third consecutive season that Pep Guardiola has failed to go past the early stages of the Carabao cup, which they won four times back to form 2018-2021.
Why Manchester City did not score
With both Manchester City and Newcastle United making significant lineup changes from their previous Premier League fixtures, this match provided an opportunity for less-featured players to prove their worth.
Despite City making eight changes and Newcastle making ten, it did little to disrupt City’s dominant style of play.
City characterized the opening half-hour with near-total control, boasting a staggering 73% possession.
The Magpies found themselves mostly confined to their own final third, struggling to gain any foothold.
Oscar Bobb made a notable drive forward, feeding Julian Alvarez, but Nick Pope’s outstretched foot thwarted their opening goal attempt.
Bobb and Alvarez continued to show promise, with Alvarez firing a shot across goal at the half-hour mark.
In the 33rd minute, Josko Gvardiol came close to nodding in a corner, denied only by an unfortunate deflection off a Newcastle defender.
Despite City’s dominance, they couldn’t capitalize on their chances, leaving the game goalless at halftime.
The second half saw Newcastle make early substitutions, altering the game’s dynamics.
City found themselves on the defensive, with the home side’s physical approach rejuvenating the crowd.
Eventually, Newcastle broke the deadlock as Joelinton’s low cross found Alexander Isak unmarked at the back post.
The home team transformed from a passive first half to an aggressive force, while City struggled to regain control.
The match grew increasingly heated, with numerous yellow cards issued by the referee to maintain order.
Pep Guardiola also received a yellow card for his frustrations.
City’s attempts to equalize in the second half were limited, with Tino Livramento making a crucial challenge to deny Matheus Nunes a scoring opportunity.
Despite a late surge from City, the home side held firm, securing a hard-fought victory.