MANCHESTER CITY have sealed their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after victory over Liverpool in an entertaining affair!
Erling Haaland got onto the end of a Kevin De Bruyne cross to convert on the 10th minute and get the goal scoring underway.
The lead did not last long though as Fabio Carvalho converted 10 minutes later to pull his side level, slotting home after an excellent cut-back.
Just seconds into the second-half, Riyad Mahrez put his side back ahead but the lead only lasted a matter of minutes, with Mohamed Salah making it all level again.
But now Nathan Ake has put his side ahead for the THIRD time in the match and this turned out to be the winner and the goal to see them go through.
- RESULT: Man City 3 Liverpool 2
- TV: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football
- Live stream: NOWTV
- Man City XI: Ortega, Moreno, Lewis, Akanji, Laporte, Ake, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Mahrez, Haaland, Palmer
Liverpool XI: Kelleher, Milner, Gomez, Matip, Robertson, Bajcetic, Thiago, Elliot, Carvalho, Salah, Nunez - QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
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Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
City fear nobody in draw
Having disposed of first Chelsea and now Liverpool, Man City have no one to fear in the draw for the quarter-final of the EFL Cup.
Here are the numbers you are looking out for:
1 Charlton Athletic
2 Leicester City
3 Manchester United
4 Newcastle United
5 Nottingham Forest
6 Southampton
7 Wolverhampton Wanderers
8 Manchester City
The draw is due to start shortly and you can follow it on the link above.
Santa arrives early in Manchester
In Germany, Santa Claus does not come down the chimney but is an angle type-figure that arrives on Christmas Eve giving people gifts.
His Liverpool team must have got their dates mixed up as they continue to give their opponents gifts, week in, week out.
It is costing them points and more importantly, wins.
This isn’t an overnight problem and has been evident all season, but time to address this issue is slowly running out.
Credit: PA Pep to pick the holes
You do not become a manager with the record of Guardiola without even analysing your wins as well as your defeats.
While the result will please him, it will be a concern how many times Liverpool got in against them in what was quite a one-sided game.
The amount of missed chances will also worry him, Brentford showed what happens if you take your chances against Man City.
Still plenty of work to do for the Spaniard, if he has any aspirations to catch his protégé at the top of the Premier League table.
Belgian treats for Christmas time
Kevin De Bruyne put in the sort of performance that would make any football fan sit and watch in amazement.
The quality of delivery of his passing was nothing short of world-class this evening.
If anything, he was often let down by the quality of the person on the end of the pass.
People questioned whether, much like the rest of his international teammates, he was a spent force now.
What a way to answer your critics in 90 minutes of football.
Credit: Reuters FT: Man City 3-2 Liverpool
As Oasis blares out of the stadium speakers, City are through to the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.
The quarter-final draw starts in 30 minutes.
You can follow the draw live on the link above.
The football romantic wants to see a Manchester derby surely?
FT: Man City 3-2 Liverpool
The referee brings the game to a close.
Liverpool, the current holders, are out of the EFL Cup.
City continue to the next round in a trophy they have grown to love during the Pep Guardiola era.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
90+3. This result will give City some confidence going back into their Premier League campaign.
Project ‘catch Arsenal’ resumes just after Christmas.
Jurgen Klopp will be looking for a different outcome from his first XI when back in league action.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
90+1. Rightly so, Kevin De Bruyne wins the man of the match award.
By far the best player on the pitch today.
City still look to attack, despite their one goal lead.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
89. It is harsh for either of these sides to go out so early in the competition.
The defending champions are going to get knocked out by the team who won this trophy four years in a row.
If they want to defend their crown, they need to find a moment of magic from somewhere.
We will have four minutes of added time.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
87. City have deserved their win today.
Liverpool could have quite easily turned it into a defeat, had they been more clinical in front of goal.
Overall, Man City have dominated the ball and the chances.
Credit: Getty Man City 3-2 Liverpool
85. The ball breaks to De Bruyne who looks to bend one in.
His shot has Kelleher beaten but Fabinho blocks the ball on the line.
Foden follows up with a good effort but the Liverpool keeper makes a good save down to his right.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
83. Oxlade-Chamberlain breaks from defence and strides forward into the Man City half.
One heavy touch gives the defender a 50/50 chance and the Liverpool man was never winning that one.
City look to manage the game now, passing it about and frustrating Liverpool.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
81. City attack again and cross finds Rodri running onto it.
He comes together with Kelleher and the referee awards a free kick to the keeper.
We are into the final ten minutes now and time is running out for Jurgen Klopp.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
79. It is all kicking off now as Rodri throws Fabinho to the ground.
It was a heavy tackle by the Brazilian but not as bad as Rodri was making out with his actions.
Both players are rightly shown a yellow card and we get on with the game.
Credit: Getty Man City 3-2 Liverpool
77. I wonder if any part of Jack Grealish’s subconscious knew that coming to City would see him spend more time on benches than a homeless person.
He has a chance to try and impress here.
Liverpool have to come at City so there should be plenty of space for the attacker to utilise.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
75. If you look at chances today, Darwin Nunez could have had a hat trick.
Then so could have Nathan Ake.
Imagine the score this game could have been, a festival of football.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
73. Grealish and Foden come on for City.
Not what any team wants to see really but Haaland and Palmer are brought off for them.
This has woken up the home fans a little.
Darwin Nunez wastes another good chance for Liverpool as he drags the ball wide of the far post.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
71. Naby Keita comes on for Liverpool.
He owes them a shift or two.
It has been a stop/start career for Keita in his time at Anfield.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
69. Liverpool comes forward and Oxlade-Chamberlain breaks into the box and goes to ground.
It looks as though the Liverpool man was trying to buy one there.
Minimal contact which caused the ex-Arsenal man to go down like a sniper had got him.
Credit: Reuters Man City 3-2 Liverpool
67. Man City’s training tops are getting more and more wild.
As Grealish pulls one off to notify his impending introduction.
I wonder if all these training tops will all get sewn together at some point as Pep Guardiola reveals himself as the tops collectively make the world’s biggest Banksy painting.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
65. Liverpool start to knock the ball around.
City are keeping their shape, almost inviting them to come onto them.
The ball breaks to Robertson on the back post.
He hits it on the volley and shows why he is not considered an attacking player when it comes to scoring goals.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
63. Liverpool’s only option to stop De Bruyne may be to put heavy challenges in so Pep brings him off right now.
The Belgian midfielder has been man of the match without a shadow of a doubt.
Performances like this show why he is rightly considered as one of the best to ever grace this league.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
61. John Stones comes on for Man City.
Liverpool need to find a way back into this game now.
Klopp will be disappointed that it was one his substitutes, Jordan Henderson, who failed to react to the short corner quick enough.
Man City 3-2 Liverpool
59. What a delivery from De Bruyne.
He could put a ball on any rock of your choosing on Mars with that right foot of his.
Liverpool sleeping again at a set piece but City take full advantage of it.
Credit: Reuters Goal – Nathan Ake (Man City)
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
