Reversal of fortune for Newcastle as City crash out
Southampton’s fine start to season goes on
ROLANDO Aarons and substitute Moussa Sissoko struck as Newcastle dumped holders Manchester City out of the Capital One Cup with a 2-0 win at the Etihad Stadium.
To compound City’s woes, as manager Manuel Pellegrini’s decision to field a strong side just four days before a Manchester derby backfired, key playmaker David Silva limped off injured early on.
But, after a dismal start to the season, Newcastle and manager Alan Pardew are suddenly enjoying a mini-revival with three successive wins in all competitions easing the pressure on the under-fire manager.
Aarons stunned City when he capitalised on poor defending early on and the hosts, despite controlling possession and creating some chances, never truly convinced.
Newcastle were denied what seemed a clear-cut penalty in the second half but Sissoko finished the job 15 minutes from time, loosening City’s grip on the trophy with a fine finish.
Pellegrini’s men have now gone three games without a win and need to regroup with two big games in the next week against United in the Premier League and CSKA Moscow in the Champions League.
Ryan Taylor described it as a “dream come true” as he basked in the glory of both Newcastle’s win and his return from a twoyear injury nightmare.
Right-back Taylor, who has been sidelined with successive cruciate ligament problems since 2012 said: “A dream, everything, it all came true tonight.
“Two years of hard graft for myself just to get back playing football is a big thing for me, but what a performance that was from the lads.”
Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliott, in for the rested Tim Krul, spoke about the renewed confidence of his side and also paid tribute to Taylor.
“I think it was always there [confidence]. It was just about getting results and now you’re seeing a difference in the team, but tonight’s all about Ryan,” he said.
“He’s epitomised everything about us today, two years of solid hard work, with setbacks, and it just shows what we are like and I think everyone is buzzing for him and the fans – it’s a great night for us all.”
After a stunning start to the season in the Premier League, Southampton beat Stoke for the second time in four days to reach the quarter-finals.
The game was much more eventful than Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League victory, with Graziano Pelle netting his second to make it 3-2 two minutes from time at the Britannia Stadium.
Saints had looked in control at half-time at two up through Pelle and Shane Long’s first for the club but Stoke levelled through Steven Nzonzi and Mame Biram Diouf.
However, moments after substitute Peter Crouch was sent off, Pelle grabbed his second to earn Southampton their ninth win in ten games.
Tottenham secured safe passage into the last eight with an unconvincing 2-0 victory over out-of-form Brighton on a largely uninspiring White Hart Lane.
It was just a fourth win in all competitions since August for Mauricio Pochettino’s side but they made heavy weather of progressing into the quarterfinals as substitute Erik Lamela and top goalscorer Harry Kane struck in the second half to see off their Sky Bet Championship opponents.
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at Capital One Cup quarter-final draw Derby County v Chelsea Tottenham v Newcastle Bournemouth v Liverpool Sheffield United v Southampton Ties to be played on week beginning 15 December