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Shaun Botterill / Getty Images
John Stones, right, celebrates with his defensive teammate Ruben Dias after opening the scoring for Manchester City.
Another English League Cup final for Manchester City. Another painful semi-final defeat for Manchester United.
City beat fierce rival United 2-0 at Old Trafford on Thursday (NZT) thanks to second-half goals from John Stones and Fernandinho, leading to a meeting with Tottenham in the Cup final. La Liga at Wembley Stadium.
For City manager Pep Guardiola, that means another face-to-face with manager José Mourinho, who is looking to end Tottenham’s 13-year trophy drought.
The city has no such problems. He has a shot at a fourth straight title, and a sixth in eight seasons, in a competition the team has practically made its own.
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“We accomplished something incredible,” Guardiola said. “I know the [League] The Cup is not the Champions League, but four times in a row reaching the final is impressive ”.
An open game, from end to end, which began with three goals disallowed for offside in the first 24 minutes, was resolved with goals from set pieces.
Stones shoved the ball into the net from his waist thanks to a free kick from Phil Foden in the 50th minute to put City ahead inside an empty stadium.
Fernandinho, the 35-year-old Brazilian who starts ahead of Rodri in central midfield, secured victory with a volley from the edge of the box that sneaked into the post after a weak headed punt from United right-back Aaron Wan- Bissaka.
SPORT OF HEAVEN
Second-half goals from John Stones and Fernandinho propel Man City to the final of the League Cup.
“City can score a lot of great goals and you can take it,” United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said, “but when you concede on two set pieces, singles that we should have cleared, you are very disappointed.”
City repeated their victory over United in last season’s semi-finals, which were played over two games in contrast to this year’s one-game shootout.
That was one of Solskjaer’s team’s three semi-final losses in 2020, along with the FA Cup and the Europa League.
“We are getting closer,” Solskjaer said. “This is a much better version of Man United compared to a year ago in those semi-finals. That is positive, but it is not enough. “
City, however, were the superior team – Solskjaer said so – and had the best of chances in open play, with Kevin De Bruyne hitting the post with a fierce shot from the edge of the area in the first half and Riyad Mahrez bringing a good save over the bar by United goalkeeper Dean Henderson after the break.
Peter Powell / AP
Midfielder Fernandinho shoots from the edge of the penalty area to score City’s second goal.
The Stones goal continues his impressive career rebound at City that was revised just six months ago. Once again installed in his personal life, he has regained his central position and has made a guaranteed performance alongside the excellent Ruben Dias to repel what has been one of the most powerful attacks in the Premier League in recent weeks.
United States goalkeeper Zak Steffen, who started again for City with Ederson out after contracting the coronavirus, flipped a curl shot from Bruno Fernandes in the ninth minute. But United’s late pressure didn’t yield any clear opening as City comfortably watched the game.
After starting the season slowly, City are in top form, with this win over United three days after a 3-1 win at Chelsea in the league and a 4-1 win at Arsenal in the fair cup. before Christmas.
Guardiola has made his team tougher to beat in recent months by playing with two defensive-minded central midfielders to provide additional protection against counterattacks, and it’s paying off – it’s just three goals conceded in the team’s last 12 games. in all competitions.
“It’s about consistency,” Guardiola said. “We didn’t have a proper preseason and so we need a little time, but I think we are already there.”
City players wore retro No. 8 jerseys before the game honoring Colin Bell, the club’s great midfielder who died Wednesday at age 74. There was a minute’s silence and both teams wore black armbands in tribute to the former England international.
“I think how we played today was a reflection of him,” Stones said, referring to Bell. “A great time for us and I hope he’s looking down on us.”
