CITY BEAT UNITED 2-0, ADVANCE TO LEAGUE CUP FINAL

LONDON: Another English League Cup final for Manchester City. Another painful semi-final loss for Manchester United.

City beat fierce rivals United 2-0 at Old Trafford on Wednesday thanks to second-half goals by John Stones and Fernandinho, setting up a meeting with Tottenham in the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium on April 25. For City manager Pep Guardiola, that means another head-to-head with long-time coaching adversary Jose Mourinho, who is looking to end Tottenham’s 13-year trophy drought. City have no such issues. They have a chance for a fourth straight title -- and a sixth in eight seasons -- in a competition which the team has virtually made its own.

“We achieved something incredible,” Guardiola said. “I know the (League) Cup is not the Champions League, but four times in a row reaching the final is impressive.”

An open, end-to-end match, which started with three goals getting disallowed for offside in the opening 24 minutes, was settled by goals from set-pieces.

Stones bundled the ball into the net off his waist from an inswinging free kick by Phil Foden in the 50th minute to put City ahead inside an empty stadium. Fernandinho, the 35-yearold Brazilian starting ahead of Rodri in central midfield, secured the win with a volley from the edge of the area that crept inside the post following a weak headed clearance by United right back Aaron Wanbissaka. “City can score many great goals, and you can accept that,” said United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, “but when you concede from two set plays, simple ones that we should have cleared, you’re very disappointed.”