Man City put one foot in Carabao Cup final

Antoine Semenyo scored his second goal in as many games for his new club as Manchester City secured a precious Carabao Cup semi-final advantage over holders Newcastle.

The winger, who was eligible despite having already played for Bournemouth in the competition this season after a rule change, struck eight minutes after half-time before substitute Rayan Cherki added a brilliant second at the death to ensure the eight-times winners will defend a 2-0 lead when the sides reconvene at the Etihad Stadium on February 4 for the second leg.

City might have travelled back across the Pennines with one foot firmly in the final had Semenyo not seen a second goal controversially chalked off following a review on a night when the Magpies were neither clinical nor stubborn enough to claim the foothold they needed for the return.

Both managers demonstrated the depth of their squads despite injuries, Eddie Howe making seven changes to the side which edged past Bournemouth in the FA Cup third round on Saturday and Pep Guardiola five after a 10-1 demolition of Exeter the same day.

Newcastle should have been ahead inside five minutes when Anthony Gordon picked out Jacob Murphy on the right with a fine ball and he crossed early for Yoane Wissa, who controlled before slicing a left-foot shot wastefully over James Trafford’s crossbar.

City’s response was concerted as wide men Jeremy Doku and Semenyo pinned the Magpies back deep inside their own half, and Nick Pope needed to get a touch on Bernardo Silva’s eighth-minute cross to flick it out of the path of the waiting Erling Haaland.

Joelinton flicked a header wide from a 15th-minute Gordon cross after a rare Newcastle attack and with the Brazil international taking no prisoners in midfield,