Carabao Cup

PERHAPS a few ‘home’ comforts were just what Raheem Sterling needed to get him going again.  Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola described the England ace as ‘extraordinary’ in the build up to this game.
Raheem Sterling headed into the Carabao Cup final struggling for formCredit: Getty
Yet his recent performances have been anything but – hence he had started just three of the last 10 matches before this.
He has always loved playing round here though – ever since he used to ride his bike around on the streets outside as a lad growing up in nearby Neasden.
And Guardiola clearly hoped it might inspire him with a huge couple of weeks coming up for his team.
The Etihad boss said on Friday: “Raheem is an extraordinary player – he was, is and will be.
“The reason why he has not played as regularly as in previous seasons is because Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez are in top top form. That is the only reason.
“But opportunities are going to come and he has to be ready to show his quality, freshness in his mind and to play with the incredible strength he has.”
So here it was – his big opportunity to show he is worth a place when City face Paris Saint Germain in a Champions League semi final on Wednesday.
Fans were back in at Wembley including hundreds who had got the tickets given out to local residents.
Raheem Sterling showed glimpses of his brilliant best at times at WembleyCredit: Getty
Manchester City picked up their fourth consecutive EFL trophyCredit: Getty
For the local born star, the stage looked to be set for him to rediscover his Mojo and start to shine again.
The lull in his season has been going on for several weeks now.
Sterling was below par in the Manchester derby defeat to United in early March – although to be fair he wasn’t the only one.
He was an unused sub in the win over Southampton three days later but did not make the squad at all for that weekend’s win at Fulham.
All that came again rumours he had fallen out with Guardiola – a story strongly denied by both men.
Yet the feeling persists that something went on – and his lack of action and disappointing form subsequently only added to the theories.
It has all come at a delicate time too with the former Liverpool man hoping to re-start contract talks in the summer – but also splitting from his agent recently.
With City’s interest in Jack Grealish widely known but finances hit hard by Covid, there has even been talk he could be the fall guy in the summer.
Raheem Sterling will feel like he just needs a goalCredit: AFP
But here was a chance for Sterling to put it all behind him and show Gareth Southgate he is still a key man for the Euros.
To be fair, he was much brighter and more like his old self than he had been here eight days earlier.
He played 90 minutes against Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final but looked short of form and confidence as his team crashed out.
Sterling looked up for it here – but all that was missing was the goal which would surely get him firing again.
His last one for City came not far from here – at Arsenal – way back on February 21.
On Sunday he did everything but score as he clipped a shot over Hugo Lloris but it just drifted wide of the far post.
Then he came within inches of getting on the end of a delicious pass from Kevin de Bruyne – just missing his out-stretched boot.

Early in the second half, he got in down the left but over-ran the ball and allowed Lloris to come out and smother.
Even so, he won the free-kick which eventually led to Aymeric Laporte’s header – so he more than played his part – picking up an eighth medal of his City career.
How much of a role he plays in the push for two more before the season is out is upto Guardiola.
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TEARFUL Son Heung-min slumped to his knees and beat the Wembley turf in despair after Tottenham’s late misery in the Carling Cup final.Aymeric Laporte headed an 82nd-minute winner in front of 8,000 fans to give Manchester City the first part of a possible Treble.
Son Heung-min was devastated as Man City earned late Carabao Cup gloryCredit: Getty
Sub Gareth Bale consoles tearful Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min after defeatCredit: Getty
Spurs team-mates like Gareth Bale went over to console Son at the end.
And City defender Kyle Walker was among the other players to help out the South Korean superstar – eventually guiding Son off the field with his arms around him.
There was, though, no doubt who the daddy was during the earlier action as Son and Co were dominated by Pep Guardiola’s runaway Premier League leaders.
City lost 1-0 to Chelsea in last weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals at the same venue when supporters returned for the first-time.
And the pain of that defeat meant victory for City this Sunday was as sweet for them as it was bitter for Son.
Matchwinner Laporte told Sky Sports: “It’s very special for us after we lost in the FA Cup.
” [We needed] to get confidence and keep going.
Treble-seekers Man City celebrate their deserved Carabao Cup final triumphCredit: Getty
In contrast to Son’s anguish, Aymeric Laporte sparked wild joy for Man CityCredit: The Sun
“In the last two months we have been so good. We have to keep this rhythm, to win more titles.
“We are so happy to see our supporters back.
“I wish there could have been more, but we are so happy to have their support.”
Etihad chief Guardiola said: “It’s not full [in the stadium] but it was a great noise [from the supporters].
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“Today we are incredibly happy that we have four in a row in this competition.
“We tried to win the game, created a lot of chances.
“They had some chances on the counter but in general we had a good game.”
Tottenham attacker Son seemed the worst affected of the beaten playersCredit: Getty
Man City’s England star Kyle Walker leads Son off, a nice touch to finish with on an afternoon when fans returned to the Carabao Cup for its showpieceCredit: Getty
Harry Kane beat off injury but not the class of Man City as the England skipper saw Tottenham lose 1-0 and rarely threaten an upsetCredit: The Sun
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AS a semblance of normality returned, they belted out their great social-distancing anthem: “Blue moon, you saw me standing alone.”There were only 2,000 Manchester City fans inside Wembley but their great Mancunian din was music to the ears of Pep Guardiola’s.
Man City won a record fourth consecutive Carabao Cup title after beating Spurs 1-0Credit: Reuters
City left it late but ultimately lifted the Carabao Cup trophy aloft for a fourth straight yearCredit: Reuters
Aymeric Laporte scored a late winner for Man City in front of thousands of fansCredit: Andy Hooper/The daily Mail
Aymeric Laporte charged off in celebration after nodding in the late winnerCredit: PA
And what could be normal than City winning a trophy – their fourth straight League Cup and their seventh of the last ten trophies dished out in English domestic football.
As soon as next Sunday, City can be crowned Premier League champions that figure could read eight out of 11.
It was just a shame Etihad owners should have left an acrid stench over this final, by panicking and joining the failed Super League scheme.
The fall-out from that shabby affair marred a day which should have been a joyful celebration.
Still, City were worthy winners and after so much free-flowing football the only surprise was that they won it from a set-piece – Aymeric Laporte heading home at the back stick from a Kevin De Bruyne free-kick ten minutes from time.
So Harry Kane must wait for the first trophy of his career. Wait or leave Spurs, who are without silverware for a 13th straight season now.
Sacking Jose Mourinho made little difference as Spurs were cautious and dominated for the vast majority of this contest.
Spurs failing to turn up on a big occasion was another sign of normality as were the presence of rival fans at an English match for the first time in more than a year and severe delays on the London Underground.
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Man City celebrated wildly at Wembley after Laporte’s late winnerCredit: Getty
Tottenham and Man City played out the 2021 Carabao Cup final in front of 8,000 fansCredit: The Sun
Sergio Aguero didn’t make it off the bench but got his hands on yet another City trophyCredit: Reuters

Yet travelling down Wembley Way, you would never have known that these two clubs had just been on the losing side of a civil war, as there were no organised protests.
Inside, there were a couple of dissenting City banners and some Spurs fans called for the head of chairman Daniel Levy.
But he has survived the sewage storm relatively unscathed, compared to the American owners of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.
Levy had axed Mourinho six days before this final, in only his second most newsworthy act of last week.
Still, Kane had passed himself fit – and he does tend to self-diagnose in these situations – while Gareth Bale was benched despite scoring on Mason’s maiden outing against Southampton.
But the most obvious sign that Mourinho had gone was the inclusion of Harry Winks, who’d been blackballed from major fixtures for some time.
Guardiola went with Kevin De Bruyne a ‘false nine’ – his plan A for the biggest matches of late.
And City hogged the ball, forcing several Tottenham errors.
Raheem Sterling, subdued of late, seemed re-charged by the crackle of a crowd, kippering Serge Aurier and cutting back for Foden to shoot wide, then heading wide himself from a Riyad Mahrez cross.
Wembley welcomed 8,000 fans to the stadium for Sunday’s Carabao Cup finalCredit: Reuters
There were 8,000 fans inside Wembley – the most at any outdoor UK event since March 2020 – including 2,000 Spurs and Man City supporters apieceCredit: EPA
Ryan Mason was taking charge of a cup final in only his second game as a managerCredit: AFP
Soon, a De Bruyne cross was cut out by Alderweireld, who then denied Foden with a sliding tackle just as the youngster pulled the trigger.
Mourinho had fallen out with Alderweireld in his final weeks, which was none too clever of the Portuguese.
Then Fernandinho slipped in a pass for Sterling, who lifted his shot over Jugo Lloris but wide of the far post.
After that, a cute diagonal from Joao Cancelo picked out Mahrez, who cut inside and shot narrowly past the back stick – the Algerian then curling one over from long range.
Lloris turned a Cancelo shot round the post in first-half injury-time and we reached half-time without Spurs having really joined in – although both City centre-backs, Ruben Dias and Laporte, had been booked for halting attempted breaks.
But straight after the restart City keeper Zack Steffen was forced into an excellent sprawling stop to foil a curling Giovani Lo Celso effort.
There was plenty more intent from Spurs now – Kane, anonymous in the first half, was dropping back and influencing things.
Gundogan was twice off target for City with a header on the stretch and a volley, then Mahrez went on a darting run and had a thumping shot pushed wide by Lloris.
Mason had sent on Bale and Moussa Sissoko midway through the half but as City’s legs and minds began to tire, Guardiola was reluctant to change.
Yet his patience paid off when Sterling won a free-kick from Serge Aurier and De Bruyne delivered it for Laporte to head home with a cute angled header.
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WEMBLEY welcomed 8,000 fans for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final clash between Tottenham and Manchester City.It is just the second time the national stadium has allowed supporters through the doors since the pandemic began.
Wembley welcomed 8,000 fans to the stadium for Sunday’s Carabao Cup finalCredit: Reuters
There were 8,000 fans inside Wembley – the most at any outdoor UK event since March 2020 – including 2,000 Spurs and Man City supporters apieceCredit: EPA
Man City fans made their way to the ground ahead of the 4.30pm finalCredit: PA
Spurs fans also made the short trip across North London for the showdown with CityCredit: PA
Sunday’s game will welcome the most spectators of any outdoor UK event since March 2020Credit: EPA
Fans took selfies in the stands as they celebrated returning to the stadiumCredit: Rex
Fans celebrated being back inside Wembley as Man City played Spurs in the Carabao Cup finalCredit: EPA
Last weekend, 4,000 fans were in attendance as Leicester beat Southampton to reach the FA Cup final.
But for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, 8,000 supporters have been allowed in – nearly 10 per cent of the stadium’s overall capacity – as fans prepare for a summer festival of live sport after months of brutal lockdown measures.
That is the highest number of spectators for any outdoor UK activity since the pandemic began in March 2020.
Next month, it’s expected 21,000 fans will be allowed in for the FA Cup final between Leicester and Chelsea on May 15, also at Wembley as the country continues to open up from the latest lockdown restrictions.
Ahead of the Carabao Cup showpiece, both Spurs and Man City were given allocations of 2,000 tickets apiece.
The remaining tickets have been shared around among local residents and NHS heroes.
However, there are rules for those heading to the cup final.
No fans under 18 years old have been allowed in, while extremely vulnerable people – those who had been, until very recently, shielding – and pregnant women had been urged to stay at home.
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Fans found their seats as they prepared for the Carabao Cup finalCredit: Rex
Fans continued their protest against the Big Six club owners following the ESL shambles with ‘football is for the fans’ scarvesCredit: Rex
Sunday’s Carabao Cup final also so the return of the half-and-half scarfCredit: PA
Police patrolled the outskirts of the stadium to ensure social distancing was being properly adhered toCredit: Reuters
Fans were steadily admitted to the stands to avoid overcrowding ahead of kick-offCredit: Reuters

For those who were lucky enough to get tickets, they were forced to undergo a lateral flow test at a designated site, rather than at home, in the 24 hours before kick-off.
All 8,000 fans will also have to show proof of a negative test result to be allowed into the ground, with police and ground staff patrolling to ensure social distancing was still being observed.
And having jumped through all the hoops, fans descended on Wembley in carnival atmosphere on Sunday.
Supporters threw on club colours, draped scarves around their necks and strolled up Wembley Way in preparation for the big game, with kick off set for 4.30pm.
Many football lovers even took another swipe at the failed European Super League shambles, wearing scarves which read: “Football is for the fans.”
The Premier League ‘Big Six’ were amongst 12 clubs to sign up for the breakaway competition, before they all pulled out following an incredible fan backlash.
Supporters have protested outside stadiums including Anfield and Old Trafford this weekend, with the anger also being shown at Wembley.
But for most, fans were just happy to be back watching live football ahead of what could be a bumper summer of action.
Around 22,500 are expected to be allowed into Wembley for this summer’s Euro 2020 games.
The national stadium will host eight matches – England’s three group games, two last-16 ties, both semi-finals and the final – as fans prepare to make up for lost time.
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