Alexander Isak’s second-half strike sealed a 1-0 victory for Newcastle United over eight-time Carabao Cup winners Manchester City during their third-round clash at St James’ Park on Wednesday. Despite leaving star players Erling Haaland, Kyle Walker, and Phil Foden on the bench, Manchester City dominated the first half in terms of possession but couldn’t convert it into a goal.
Isak’s Decisive Goal:
The breakthrough came in the 53rd minute when Joelinton’s skillful dribble led him past four City defenders before delivering a pass to Isak, who calmly slotted the ball into the net. Even though Foden and Jeremy Doku joined the action in the second half, they couldn’t find an equalizer, while Haaland remained among the unused substitutes. Julian Alvarez had two promising chances for City, but Newcastle’s goalkeeper Nick Pope made a crucial save to deny them.
Newcastle Manager’s Assessment:
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe shared his thoughts on the match, acknowledging the challenging first half and praising his team’s excellent second-half performance, both defensively and offensively. He believed Newcastle deserved the win. This marks the third consecutive year that Manchester City has exited the Carabao Cup early, despite their impressive record of four consecutive wins from 2018 to 2021. Having lost in the Carabao Cup final to Manchester United last season, Newcastle United will now face Erik ten Hag’s side in the fourth round following the draw’s announcement on Wednesday.
