De Bruyne has final say as City reach Wembley
MANCHESTER CITY kept alive their hopes of an unprecedented quadruple by reaching the Carabao Cup final with a 3-2 win at Bristol City.
Goals from Leroy Sane, Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne secured a 5-3 aggregate triumph and manager Pep Guardiola’s first cup final in English football.
Marlon Pack’s 64th-minute header and a close-range strike from Aden Flint in stoppage looked like giving Bristol City a draw on the night, but de Bruyne scored with the final kick of the match.
Bristol City, in their first semifinal of a major cup competition for nearly 30 years, had retained hope of causing an upset after losing the first leg at the Etihad Stadium 2-1.
There was an electric atmosphere inside Ashton Gate at kickoff with over 22,000 flags handed out to home supporters.
But this was a bridge too far for Championship hosts who had already eliminated four Premier League sides from the competition, most notably holders and Europa League champions Manchester United in the quarter-final.
Guardiola’s team selection showed he was taking no risks as Kyle Walker, Fernandinho, David Silva and Aguero – none of whom had started the first leg – were all involved from the beginning.
Meanwhile Bristol City’s cause was not helped by the loss of goalkeeper Frank Fielding and Nathan Baker to injury, although the centre-half was fit enough to take his place on the Robins’ bench.
Alvaro Morata and Cesc Fabregas will miss out for Chelsea when they visit Arsenal in their Carabao Cup semi-final second leg tonight. The first leg was goalless
Respective back and hamstring injuries mean Morata and Fabregas are sidelined, but Andreas Christensen has been passed fit having recovered from the head injury he suffered in Saturday’s 4-0 victory at Brighton.
Thibaut Courtois and Danny Drinkwater – both owing to ankle injuries – and Gary Cahill, because of a hamstring problem, face late fitness tests.
New Arsenal signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan is cup-tied having appeared in the quarter-finals for Manchester United.
Aaron Ramsey (illness) and Nacho Monreal (leg) will be given every chance to be involved, but Olivier Giroud (hamstring) and Danny Welbeck (groin) will definitely miss out.