Manchester City welcome Newcastle United to the City of Manchester stadium on Wednesday night, as the pair face off in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal.
Pep Guardiola's side already have one foot in the final, having defeated Eddie Howe's men 2-0 at St. James' Park in the first leg.
However, City are fresh off giving up a two-goal lead, having drawn 2-2 with an out-of-form Tottenham Hotspur side over the weekend, which might offer Newcastle some hope. Howe will be looking for a response from his side, after capitulating in a 4-1 loss away to Liverpool over the weekend despite taking the lead.
Here's everything you need to know about Wednesday's game.
How to watch:
The match will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event in the U.K., Paramount+ in the U.S., FanCode in India and beIN Sports in Australia. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.
Key Details:
Kick-off time: Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. GMT (3 p.m. ET; 1:30 a.m. IST, Thursday and 6 a.m. AEST, Thursday)
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester.
Referee: Tony Harrington
VAR: Paul Howard
Injury and Team News:
Manchester City
Rúben Dias, D: hamstring, OUT, est. return late February
Josko Gvardiol, D: ankle, OUT, est. return early May
John Stones, D: muscle, OUT, est. return late February
Savinho, F: knock, OUT, est. return late February
Jérémy Doku, F: calf, OUT, est. return late February
Mateo Kovacic, M: ankle, OUT, est. return early February
Rayan Cherki, M: knock, DOUBT
Newcastle United
Emil Krafth, D: knee, OUT, est. return mid February
Fabian Schär, D: ankle, OUT, est. return mid April
Jamaal Lascelles, D: fitness, DOUBT
Valentino Livramento, D: hamstring, OUT, est. return mid March.
Joelinton, M: thigh, OUT, est. return late February
Talking Points
Can Newcastle take a page out of Tottenham's playbook?
Ordinarily a two goal deficit with an away leg to come would be the end of any hopes, but Man City's second-half collapse against Tottenham over the weekend may offer Newcastle plenty of optimism. Yes, Spurs were fortunate with their first goal and the outlandish nature of their second, but City were firmly under pressure in the second half and wilted.
The likes of Anthony Gordon, Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa have the pace and power to trouble City's defence, so this tie is by no means over. The major switch that enabled Tottenham's comeback was releasing the reins on their front-men, and Howe ought to ensure that his attacking options are at City's throats right from the off.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe says his side did not defend well enough in their 4-1 defeat to Liverpool.
Guardiola's defensive options aren't the greatest and with Rodri looking a shadow of the player that won the Ballon d'Or, Newcastle do have a route to a comeback. However, Howe's penchant for attritional battles in the big games might continue, although Newcastle's recent record against the big teams (losses to Sunderland, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Liverpool and draws against Spurs and Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain) point to a required change in tactics.
The pressure is on Guardiola to make the final
Overcoming a six-point deficit to Arsenal in the title race is familiar territory for Pep Guardiola's men, but this version of City don't look as capable of going on a winning run in the second half of the season as previous vintages. Arsenal's perceived flaws also aren't as great this season, so there is a strong likelihood that City might miss out on the title this year. In the UEFA Champions League, City will face one of Real Madrid, Internazionale, Bodo/Glimt (who they've already lost to) or Jose Mourinho's Benfica, so progression isn't guaranteed either.
Despite Guardiola's current contract running until 2027, could going trophyless this year could see the Catalan boss part ways with City after nearly a decade at the helm?
Losing out on the Carabao Cup could see City's season unravel, as they also have a tough trip to Liverpool up next in the league. The club have only won four of their 10 games in 2026, one of which was a win over Exeter in the FA Cup, and City cannot afford to blow hot and cold anymore. It makes holding on to their 2-0 advantage all the more imperative -- as a trophy in March could provide the fillip for a late season surge.
Will Bruno Guimarães' return make a difference?
The numbers are clear for all to see -- since Bruno Guimarães signed for the club four-and-a-half years ago Newcastle have failed to win a single league game in which he's not taken part. In those 10 games, the club have only earned five points. Clearly, Guimarães makes Eddie Howe's side tick.
The combative Brazilian midfielder is the club's leading goalscorer and assist-provider in the league this season, and his presence was sorely missed in the game against Liverpool -- where Newcastle lacked control after taking the lead.
Guimarães did play most of Newcastle's 2-0 loss to City in the first leg, so his presence is no guarantee that Howe's team would overcome the deficit.
Howe is understandably cautious in not rushing his midfielder back, but Newcastle are two games into a run of six away games from seven matches, including the longest possible away trip to Baku, Azerbaijan where they face Qarabag in the Champions League. The trip to City could come to define Newcastle's season, and perhaps Guimarães' presence is worth the risk.
City need Erling Haaland firing NOW
With 32 goal contributions (27G, 5A) from 34 appearances this season, Erling Haaland certainly has been putting up numbers befitting his status as the world's best centre-forward. Look closer though, and in the 10 games City have played in 2026 in all competitions, Haaland has only found the net twice -- against Brighton & Hove Albion and Galatasaray.
It's a worrying regression from Guardiola's main man -- as City's results seem almost inextricably linked to Haaland's form. Of the eighteen games in all competitions Haaland has scored in this season, City have only lost one of those (W13, 4D, 1L); while losing six of the 14 games the Norwegian's not found the net in (W6, D2, L6).
A goal and an assist in his last two games show signs of a resurgence, but that assist had an xA of 0.07, and his goal came from a 0.67xG chance. Guardiola needs more from his talisman, and time is running out. A goal-scoring performance to send City into the final would be the perfect timing for Haaland -- his club need him now more than ever.
How did City and Newcastle fare in the transfer market?
For two state-owned clubs with incomparable financial might, their respective January transfer windows could not have been more of a contrast.
City were decisive in this window, bringing in Marc Guéhi to bolster their injury-ravaged backline and Antoine Semenyo to boost a frontline that had gone stale -- pushing through both deals with a minimum of fuss. It's made an immediate impact -- with Semenyo involved in five goals (4G, 1A) in his first five appearances for the club.
Newcastle, in contrast, dealt with an injury crisis in defence... by keeping their powder dry for the summer. The club even had room to move under PSR rules, but opted against any further reinforcements despite a season that could see them miss out on Champions League spots. Howe's squad has been stretched thin, and while the situation has unearthed a promising youngster like Lewis Miley, Newcastle will pay for his development in points. It's a baffling spell of restraint from the club, and is sure to have left fans frustrated.