Manchester City 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Pep Guardiola led his team to Carabao Cup glory for the fourth season in succession as a late goal from Aymeric Laporte beat a dogged Spurs at the Wembley final.
The Sky Blues were sweating on the fitness of Kevin de Bruyne while Spurs gave a late test to Harry Kane, but both started and the 8,000 fans inside the Wembley Stadium made a great noise to add to the atmosphere. And it was a brilliant delivery from De Bruyne which put Laporte’s winner on a plate, in a game dominated from start to finish by the Sky Blues.
Highlights of the game
City laid siege to the Spurs penalty area in the early stages in a game of attack versus defence, and Phil Foden had a great chance to open the scoring when he met a cross from Raheem Sterling but he hooked his shot wide from six yards. Then the two combined again, this time Foden crossing for Sterling and his goal-bound shot was somehow blocked by Eric Dier. City were inches away on 26 minutes when Foden met a cross from De Bruyne but his shot hit Toby Alderweireld and bounced back off the post.
Then, on the half-hour, Fernandinho threaded a ball through which Sterling met and with Hugo Lloris beaten he lifted his effort just wide, and as City piled on the pressure Riyad Mahrez curled a lovely effort just beyond the far post.
Manchester City centre back Aymeric Laporte was a little lucky to stay on the pitch when, on a yellow card, he dragged down Luca Moura, but the ref gave him the benefit of the doubt in a big moment in the game.
Lloris kept his side level when he tipped a fierce effort from Joao Cancelo around the post on the brink of half time. The first half Carabao Cup 2021 highlights told a story of total domination by the Sky Blues and Spurs’ rookie coach Ryan Nelson had work to do at the break.
He must have said something useful as his side did something in the opening minute they had failed to achieve in the entire first half, and that was to give City keeper Zack Steffen some work to do. Giovani Lo Celso had enough space to hit a dipping shot which Steffen had to stretch to reach, but he saved well.
City continued to press for the opener; Sterling curled a shot high and wide and then Ilkay Gundogan headed over from a Mahrez cross. De Bruyne sent in a wicked cross but Fernandinho headed into Lloris hands, and Gundogan had a great chance when he met a Sterling pull back but his volley flew just wide.
Lloris saved brilliantly from a powerful Mahrez shot to keep Spurs in the game but the Londoners were finally undone from a set piece. Serge Aurier fouled Sterling on the left flank and when de Bruyne delivered a brilliant cross, Laporte met it with a thumping header to beat Lloris and win the trophy.
Key statistics
Spurs centre back Toby Alderweireld has said that interim coach Mason reminds him of Mauricio Pochettino in his positive approach to the players and their style of football. But there was little chance for them to show what they could do in a game totally dominated by the Sky Blues, who had 63 per cent possession and ten shots to Spurs’ one in the first half.
By the end of the game the shot count had reached 21 to two. The Carabao Cup 2021 betting odds pitched City at odds of 1.30 to win the trophy and while the margin was tight the victory was emphatic.
So Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues pick up their fourth Carabao Cup in a row, but Spurs haven’t won a trophy in 13 years, since their EFL Cup triumph in 2008.
What’s next?
Manchester City have reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time under Pep Guardiola, and they head to Paris on Wednesday where they will come up against Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain. Take a look at the SBOTOP odds as the Sky Blues are favourites to add the European crown to this piece of silverware.
Next weekend they are back in Premier League action, away to Crystal Palace as they home in on another domestic title.
With five games to go in the Premier League, Spurs are in seventh place and five points behind Chelsea who occupy the last Champions League spot. Mason’s men have a great chance to pick up three points next Sunday when they host already-relegated Sheffield United. The Blades picked up a rare win against Brighton on Saturday to take their points tally up to 17.
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