Manchester City vs Newcastle United
Manchester City are in a prime position to progress through the EFL Cup final after winning 2-0 in the first leg against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park last month. This semi-final tie is theirs to lose, and they’ll face the winner between Chelsea and Arsenal in the final at Wembley Stadium a few months from now.
However, since winning the first leg, the Sky Blues have been inconsistent. They suffered heavy losses against Manchester United (2-0) and Bodo/Glimt (3-1), but bounced back with 2-0 wins over Wolves and Galatasaray. Last night, Manchester City were held to a 2-2 draw by Tottenham to remain second in the Premier League table.
This is also the same case for the Magpies, who are coming off a 4-1 road defeat against Liverpool. Newcastle United need to play a perfect game on Wednesday to stand a chance.
Talking Points
Manchester City’s new boys are adapting well
Manchester City pulled off a massive coup during the recently concluded winter transfer window, poaching Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi from Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, respectively, and both of them have already adapted well to Pep Guardiola’s tactics.
Semenyo became only the second player to score in four of his first five appearances for Manchester City. After scoring his first goal against Exeter City in the FA Cup third round, the 26-year-old winger drew first blood in the Sky Blues’ 2-0 win over the Magpies in the first leg. He also found the back of the net against Tottenham in London last night, before Dominic Solanke’s second-half brace held Manchester City to a 2-2 draw.
Guehi has been a regular starter at centre-half for the Sky Blues due to the injuries of John Stones, Josko Gvardiol, and Ruben Dias. He struggled in the second half against Spurs yesterday, but he’ll likely start again on Wednesday against the Magpies out of necessity.
Rayan Cherki, one of the team’s marquee signings last summer, is finding his form lately at the Etihad. The former Lyon midfielder has scored four goals in his last six appearances in all competitions.
Woltemade is struggling at Newcastle United
Newcastle United’s form has ebbed and flowed in the past few weeks, as Nick Woltemade, their marquee summer signing, is struggling in the final third lately. The former VfB Stuttgart striker has only three goals in his past 23 games, which is not what the Magpies expected after a goalscoring debut against Wolves in September.
Because of his rough patch, head coach Eddie Howe has replaced Woltemade with Anthony Gordon or Yoane Wissa in the starting XI. In the past four games, Newcastle United have scored only five goals as a collective while conceding seven on the other end.
Woltemade could be back in the starting XI after coming off the bench against Liverpool. If he does, Howe must find a way to provide enough service for the German centre-forward in the final third.
History
Manchester City are one of the most decorated clubs in EFL Cup history, having hoisted the trophy eight times, including a dominant spell in which they won six titles in eight years. However, the reigning EFL Cup champions have failed to defend the trophy in each of the last four editions.
Newcastle United are the reigning EFL Cup champions after beating Liverpool 2-1 in last season’s final, their first major domestic trophy since 1955.
These two teams have split the last two encounters across all competitions. The Magpies won 2-1 against the Sky Blues in the Premier League last November, but the latter bounced back with a 2-0 victory last month to get the first-leg advantage.
Betting Tip
The EFL Cup 2026 odds expect Manchester City to finish what they started against Newcastle United on Wednesday night, with the help of their fans at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side is priced to win at 1.75, while Eddie Howe’s men are at 3.85, and a draw is at 3.71 in the 1X2 market.
Both teams should get on the scoresheet and create new EFL Cup 2026 highlights. But after what happened in the first leg, the Magpies might find it too little too late, even if they find the back of the net this midweek. Besides our recommended bet, SBOTOP punters may add Under 3.00 at 1.82, Under 2.75 at 2.07, and Total Goals 2-3 at 2.00 to the parlay. Moreover, a Correct Score of 2-0 in favour of Manchester City – the re-run of the opening leg – is on offer at 9.60 your bet.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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