- Roo Legend: Rooney Retires from England duty!
- Australasia gets represented in the Premier League this year!
- Sanchez in North London, Where Have We Heard That Before?
- Sigurdsson Sale: Swansea could face Ragnarok after losing Thor!
- 2017/18 Premier League Predictions!
- PSG set to trigger record Neymar Fee!
- Mourinho thrives with a Prag-Matic approach!
- The Loan Ranger: Game of Loans!
- Rome(-lu) Wasn’t Built In A Day, But Hernandez Is Heading Hammers Way!
- Man United, Arsenal, and Huddersfield are all in a dash to splash the cash!
MOTD- Newcastle United 0-2 Manchester City (aet)
Alan Pardew’s side found himself up against the odds in the Capital One Cup, yet somehow, for however shot period of time, you might have thought Newcastle United could nick a win over Manchester City. The home side had only grabbed one win in their last four matches, but they took the former Premier League champions into extra time at St. James Park and even threatened to come away with their first win in the fixture since 2005.
Alas, it was not to be for Pardew’s side, who allowed two injury time goals as City booked their place in the Quarterfinals. Still, it wasn’t a walk in the park for City after they sidelined Joe Hart, David Silva, Fernandinho, and Alvaro Negredo, with Papiss Demba Cisse flicking it over Costel Pantilimon and just wide of the post in the opening minutes of the match.
Pardew’s side had the better of the dull beginning, as Moussa Sissoko had his mishit shot blocked on the left side of the box, and it fell to Shola Ameobi who had his cracking low volley from six yards destined for the bottom right corner pushed wide by a brilliant save from Pantilimon in the thirtieth minute. Seconds later Ameobi had his tap in disallowed, before Vurnon Anit slashed a volley a few yards wide from a Micah Richards’s headed clearance.
Yet City eventually found themselves in the drivers seat, and nearly took the lead in the fifty-fourth minute when Richards headed James Milner’s cross from the left narrowly over the crossbar. Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul nearly gifted the visitors a goal in the sixty-fourth minute when he came out to collect a Jack Rodwell long-ball down the right flank, only to realize the ball was outside the box as Jesus Navas closed in. The goalkeeper attempted to shield as it rolled towards the byline, but Navas stole it from him and laid it back to Milner, who curled a screaming effort just over from the right as Krul scrambled back towards the goal.
Negredo should have opened the scoring as the match entered it’s final quarter-hour as the Spaniard drove down the left side of the Newcastle box before chipping a cute finish above Krul. The ball looked to be heading in, yet Krul somehow stuck up a palm to bat the effort wide. City continued to pressure Newcastle, but couldn’t find a goal before the final whistle, sending the match into extra time. Yet Manuel Pellegrini’s side were considerably more lucky in extra-time, and the home scored the opener in the ninty-eighth mintue. Edin Dzeko whizzed down the left before cutting it back into the six-yard box, where Negredo tucked a neat finish into the bottom corner. Only seven minutes later City doubled their lead when Milner played a one-two with David Silva and slipped a neat pass down the middle to the run od Dzeko, who rounded Krul before cutting it into the back of the open net.
Newcastle almost grabbed one back as Hatem Ben Arfa blasted a low volley past Pantilimon, which Joleon Lescottkick off the goal-line, yet Silva nearly made it three for Pellegrini after blowing by a couple of Newcastle defender’s the midfielder curled a shot inches wide of the post, but there was to be no late drama, and the match ended 2-0 to send City through to the quarterfinals.
Man of the Match: Alvaro Negredo