The road to Wembley reaches its climax tonight, Wednesday, February 4, 2026, as Manchester City welcomes Newcastle United to the Etihad Stadium for the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final.
Manchester City holds a commanding 2-0 aggregate lead after a clinical first-leg performance at St James' Park. For Newcastle, the task is historic: they must become only the second team in the competition's history to overturn a two-goal deficit in a semi-final to keep their title defense alive.
Match Details
Fixture: Manchester City vs Newcastle United (EFL Cup Semi-Final, 2nd Leg)
Aggregate: Manchester City 2–0 Newcastle United
Date: Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Tony Harrington
The Stakes: A Date with Arsenal
The winner of tonight's clash already knows their opponent for the final on March 22. Arsenal secured their spot at Wembley yesterday with a 4-2 aggregate victory over Chelsea.
Manchester City is looking to reach their first EFL Cup final since 2021 and their 23rd domestic cup final overall under Pep Guardiola.
Newcastle United, the current holders, are fighting to protect their crown but must overcome a dismal record at the Etihad, where they have lost their last 11 visits.
Team News & Injury Reports
Manchester City: Defensive Juggling Act
Despite their lead, Pep Guardiola is navigating a significant injury crisis in the backline.
Out: Joško Gvardiol (lower leg), John Stones (thigh), Mateo Kovačić, and Jeremy Doku are all ruled out.
Ineligible: New star signing Marc Guéhi is cup-tied and cannot feature.
Doubtful: Rayan Cherki, who scored in the first leg, is a major doubt after a heavy knock against Tottenham. Phil Foden is expected to step in if Cherki is unfit.
Returning: Rúben Dias has returned to training but may not be risked from the start.
Newcastle United: Searching for a Spark
Eddie Howe’s side is also depleted, particularly in midfield, following a grueling 4-1 loss to Liverpool over the weekend.
Out: Lewis Miley (unavailable), Bruno Guimarães (ankle), Joelinton, and Fabian Schär are notable absences.
Boost: Sven Botman is fit and will likely anchor the defense as they chase the game.
Player to Watch: Anthony Gordon. After scoring against Liverpool, his pace on the counter remains Newcastle's best hope for an early breakthrough.
Predicted Starting Lineups
Manchester City (4-2-3-1):
Trafford; Nunes, Khusanov, Aké, Ait-Nouri; Rodri, O’Reilly; Semenyo, Foden, Bernardo Silva; Haaland.
Newcastle United (4-3-3):
Pope; Trippier, Botman, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Longstaff, Willock; Gordon, Woltemade, Barnes.
Key Stats & H2H
The Advantage: City has progressed in 5 of the last 6 times they won a semi-final first leg.
The Etihad Fortress: Newcastle has only managed one win at the Etihad in the past 22 years (a 2-0 cup win in 2014).
Goal Trends: Antoine Semenyo has been in electric form since his January move, scoring in the first leg and twice in the league since.
Newcastle's Drought: The Magpies have failed to score in seven of their last eight visits to the blue side of Manchester.
Prediction: Man City 2–1 Newcastle (4–1 on Aggregate)
Newcastle will likely throw "everything and the kitchen sink" at City early on, but Guardiola’s side is the master of controlling tempo. Even with a makeshift defense, the presence of Rodri and the clinical form of Semenyo should see City through. Newcastle might end their scoring
