Manchester City v Newcastle: EFL Cup semi-final line-ups, team news, confirmed starting teams
City hold a two-goal lead from the first leg.
Manchester City can set up a mouthwatering EFL Cup final against Arsenal next month by seeing off Newcastle tonight.
City are overwhelming favourites after winning the first leg 2-0 on Tyneside thanks to goals from Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki. They showed frailties at Tottenham on Sunday, though, squandering a position of total dominance, and a 2-0 half-time lead, to draw 2-2.
Newcastle will hope to cause similar issues for Pep Guardiola’s side, although they will have to perform better than they did at the weekend when they lost 4-1 to Liverpool.
Boss Eddie Howe accepts his side are up against it but still believes an upset win is possible.
He said: “We very much have to have that belief. The second goal in the first game was obviously a big disappointment for us, coming so late, but we still believe and we have to believe.
“I believe we have got the players that can go to any stadium in the world and perform and score goals. I think collectively the spirit within the group is there.
“It’s going to be an almighty challenge – there is no bigger challenge than Manchester City away. I think we say that every time we play them but we believe in ourselves and are going to give it a good go.”
Table of Contents
- 1 Manchester City starting line-up vs Newcastle
- 2 Newcastle starting line-up vs Manchester City
- 3 How to watch Manchester City v Newcastle: TV and online streams
- 4 Stats for Manchester City v Newcastle
- 5 Do EFL Cup semi finals go to extra time, replays and penalties?
- 6 EFL Cup semi-final fixtures 2025/26
- 7 When is the EFL Cup final 2026?
- 8 Do the EFL Cup winners qualify for Europe?
Manchester City starting line-up vs Newcastle
City will be without Marc Guehi, who is ineligible, but fellow January signing Semenyo can play as he was brought in prior to the first leg. Ruben Dias is back in training but this game comes too soon and he will join Jeremy Doku on the sidelines.
Erling Haaland is left on the bench for City, with Omar Marmoush leading the line. That change is part of six from the draw with Tottenham.
James Trafford replaces Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal, Ake comes in for Guehi and Nico Gonzalez, Tijjani Reijnders and Phil Foden also start.
Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Rayan Cherki all drop to the bench. Ruben Dias, back from a hamstring injury, is among the substitutes.
Manchester City: Trafford; Nunes, Khusanov, Ake (C), Ait-Nouri; Nico, Reijnders; O’Reilly, Semenyo, Foden; Marmoush.
Substitutes: Donnarumma, Dias, Haaland, Cherki, Rodri, Nypan, McAidoo, Alleyne, Lewis
Newcastle starting line-up vs Manchester City
Newcastle will again be without injured captain Bruno Guimaraes and Lewis Miley is also unavailable. Sven Botman is fit.
Despite having a mountain to climb, Newcastle have gone for a defensive set-up with three centre-backs.
Eddie Howe has made three changes from the defeat at Anfield, with Aaron Ramsdale coming in for the rested Nick Pope, and Botman and Nick Woltemade replacing Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes.
Newcastle: Ramsdale; Tripper, Botman, Thiaw, Burn Hall; Tonali, Ramsey; Willock, Woltemade, Gordon.
Substiutes: Pope, Wissa, Barnes, Osula, Elanga, J. Murphy, A. Murphy, Shahar, Neave.
How to watch Manchester City v Newcastle: TV and online streams
Manchester City versus Newcastle kicks off at 8pm UK time on Wednesday. You can watch the game on Sky Sports and stream via the Sky Go app.
If you live outside the UK, please click HERE to find out your local rights holders.
Stats for Manchester City v Newcastle
- City have failed to reach the EFL Cup final just once in six attempts after winning the first leg of the semi
- City have won 14 of their 18 home games in all competitions this season
- City have won each of their last 11 home encounters with Newcastle by an aggregate score of 37-3
Do EFL Cup semi finals go to extra time, replays and penalties?
Should they finish level after 90 minutes, EFL Cup ties go straight to penalties until the semi-finals, which take place over two legs.
If the scoreline is level after the second leg of this tie, extra time and – if necessary – penalties will be used to separate teams.
The final is a one-off match at Wembley Stadium, with extra time and penalties used if required.
EFL Cup semi-final fixtures 2025/26
All matches are being shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Ultra and start at 20:00 GMT / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT, with games that are also on ITV and STV denoted with an asterisk.
Tuesday, January 13
Newcastle 0-2 Manchester City*
Wednesday, January 14
Chelsea 2-3 Arsenal
Tuesday, February 3
Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea*
Wednesday, February 4
Man City vs Newcastle
When is the EFL Cup final 2026?
The final will take place on Sunday, March 22 2026 at 16:30 GMT (11:30 ET / 08:30 PT).
Do the EFL Cup winners qualify for Europe?
The EFL Cup winners receive a place in the play-off stage of the UEFA Conference League unless they qualify through another route for European competition.
Newcastle were an example of the rule in action in 2024/25, instead qualifying for the Champions League through their league position.
That meant their Conference League play-off place went to the next-highest ranked team who had not qualified for European competition via their league position.