Published: Jan 12, 2023, 09:55 AM (IST)
Edited: Jan 12, 2023, 09:55 AM (IST)
New Delhi: Southampton stunned Manchester City to book a place in the semifinals of the English League Cup on Wednesday.
The bottom team in the Premier League produced a major upset by beating defending champion City 2-0 at St. Mary’s and will now face Newcastle over two legs in a bid to reach the final.
Nottingham Forest beat Wolves 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw and will take on Manchester United in the other semifinal.
It was Southampton, however, that produced the shock of the round against City.
First-half goals from Sekou Mara and Moussa Djenepo allowed the hosts to aside worries about their relegation battle and provide its fans with a reason for celebrating.
Eight-time winner City was the overwhelming favorite to progress to the semifinals after dominating the competition in recent times, lifting the trophy on six occasions in the last nine years.
Manager Pep Guardiola has won it four times since taking charge of City in 2016.
“I’m really proud of the players, of myself and the coaches. We’ve gone through a lot recently, people questioning a lot of things. That goes a little way to justifying why we’re here and what team we’re trying to create,” Jones said.
Southampton will face Newcastle in the first leg of the semifinal on January 24. Neither of the teams has ever won the EFL Cup in their entire histories. Newcastle is putting on a sensational performance in the Premier League as well, with just a single loss in the 18 games they have played so far.
Southampton, on the other hand, is having a difficult season in the Premier League, sitting at the bottom of the table with only three wins from their first 18 games.
