Cherki and Savinho on target as City secure Carabao Cup semi-final spot | OneFootball

Manchester City secured a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Etihad Stadium.

Rayan Cherki put us on our way with a wonderful opener shortly after the half-hour when he hit a vicious strike into the top corner.

And Savinho doubled our lead midway through the second half with a deflected effort after a lightning fast break from the Brazilian.

City, who featured seven players in our squad that have come through our Academy, are into the last-four for the first time since 2020/21 when we lifted the trophy for an eighth occasion.

The game in 250 words

After beating Huddersfield and Swansea in the previous two rounds, we played our first Carabao Cup clash at a rain-soaked Etihad Stadium since September 2024.

Two of the seven changes from the team that beat Crystal Palace on Sunday, were wingers Savinho and Oscar Bobb and they started in lively fashion, the former drilling in an early dangerous cross and the latter cutting inside before firing a low shot at Hakon Valdimarsson.

However, the Norwegian suffered a 19th minute setback when he went off with an injury at the same time Brentford wanted Abdukodir Khusanov red-carded for a last-ditch foul on Kevin Schade as the striker tried to race clear, but he was only booked.

With two wingers in the side, Cherki was running the game from a more central vision and stung the palms of Valdimarsson before scoring a stunning opener.

When Divine Mukasa’s corner was cleared to the Frenchman on the edge of the box, he casually stepped inside a challenge before unleashing a 20-yard strike that neither the keeper nor a covering Michael Kayode could stop.

City had been largely in control but Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer forced James Trafford into a good save at the start of the second half with a 20-yard strike.

Valdimarsson, meanwhile, was at full stretch to keep out Foden’s low drive but he was out of luck when Savinho got City’s second.

The Brazilian broke clear at pace, stretching the Brentford defence before his shot deflected off Ajer and over the stranded keeper.

It killed off the visitors hopes and City went closest to adding another with Mukasa striking wide and Foden slaloming through the defence without getting off a shot.

Teams

City: Trafford, Lewis, Khusanov, Ake (C), O’Reilly (Gvardiol 66), Nico (M Nunes 66), Reijnders, Bobb (Foden 19, Gray 82), Cherki (Bernardo 66), Savinho, Mukasa

Subs not used: Donnarumma, Dias, Haaland, Mfuni.

Brentford: Valdimarsson, Henry (Lewis-Potter 76), Van den Berg, Ajer, Collins (C), Kayode (Hickey 75), Jensen (Donovan 81), Yarmoliuk (Konak 88), Damsgaard, Janelt, Schade (G Nunes 88).

Subs not used: Kelleher, Pinnock, Peart-Harris, Arthur.

Academy dreams

The Academy continues to produce players prepared to push for the first team and seven of our squad involved against the Bees were homegrown.

Mukasa continued his record of being in the XI of every round of this season’s League Cup with Trafford, Lewis, Bobb and O’Reilly all learning their trade at the Etihad Campus.

Foden obviously is the most senior, coming on for his 341st City appearance, while 2024 Youth Cup winners Stephen Mfuni and Charlie Gray were on the bench.

Both have been with the club since the under-nines and Gray came on for his senior debut in the centre of midfield with 10 minutes remaining.

Star man

Number 10’s often have a swagger and showmanship that marks them out as special and Cherki has it in spades.

His goal was simply magnificent, pairing graceful craft with a brutal power for an unstoppable finish.

It was worthy of the three celebrations he gave it as he treated us to a knee slide, robot and finally a yoga pose!

But there was so much more to enjoy about his performance as he lit up the Etihad with wonderful flicks, dragbacks, great vision and the hard work that Pep Guardiola demands.

GUardiola reaction

“We have had a run of a lot of games for Erling [Haaland for example, and Ruben Dias] and the other ones and they have to be ready.

“After [West Ham] we have seven days before Nottingham Forest and four or five days before Sunderland and, after again, a crazy schedule.

“So we have to do it and we talk a lot about these days, everyone be connected today. And the guys on the bench, be connected and they prove it. Matheus so focused, Bernardo as always. Everyone was there. Josko was there and was incredibly committed.

“We need three more days. We don’t have much time to prepare our game. One day, but we are used to it of course. Prepare our fans to win that important game to finish before this little break longer than usual, up there.”

MUKASA reaction

“I really enjoyed it. It was my home debut so I wanted to just go out there, enjoy myself and get the win, and that’s what happened.

“It was a great night. I think it sums the club up really.

“Although we attract the best players, we can produce players as well.

“So I think it was a great display out there tonight and showed what the Academy can do.”

What it means

City will take on Newcastle United in the semi-final of the Carabao Cup.

We will play the Magpies over two legs in January with the dates of each leg to be confirmed,

Chelsea will take on Arsenal or Crystal Palace in the other semi.

Dates for the first leg are week commencing 12 January and the second leg will be in the week commencing 2 February.

What’s next

We’re back at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, 20 December as we return to Premier League action.

West Ham are the visitors for the 15:00 (UK) kick-off ahead of a seven-day break for Christmas.

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