EFL Cup

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How Manchester City reached the EFL Cup final

| 26 February 2020

How Manchester City reached the EFL Cup final

City's route to the final.

Manchester City will take on Aston Villa in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

City are attempting to successfully defend their title and lift the trophy for the fourth time in five seasons.

Here, the PA news agency looks back over the five matches that took Pep Guardiola’s side into the final.

Round three: Preston 0 Man City 3

Raheem Sterling, hidden, celebrates at Deepdale (Richard Sellers/PA)

City kicked off their quest for a third straight League Cup in style as they breezed to victory over Preston at Deepdale. First-half goals from Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus and a Ryan Ledson own goal wrapped victory up early for Pep Guardiola’s men.

Round four: Man City 3 Southampton 1

Nicolas Otamendi, right, was on the scoresheet against Southampton (Nick Potts/PA)

Sergio Aguero scored twice as City beat a Southampton side still shell-shocked by their 9-0 defeat to Leicester four days earlier. Nicolas Otamendi headed the opener before Aguero’s double, while Jack Stephens headed a late consolation for the Saints.

Quarter-final: Oxford 1 Man City 3

Raheem Sterling was at the double against Oxford — Raheem Sterling continued his scoring streak at Oxford (Mike Egerton/PA)

City relied on Raheem Sterling to dig them out of a hole against resolute Oxford at the Kassam Stadium. Joao Cancelo’s opener was cancelled out by Matty Taylor’s equaliser for the hosts and, despite Sterling’s late double, it was far from plain sailing for Guardiola’s men.

Semi-final: Man City 3 Man United 2 (on aggregate)

Bernardo Silva, left, scored a stunner at Old Trafford — **Bernardo Silva**, left, scored a stunner at Old Trafford (Martin Rickett/PA)

City took a huge step towards Wembley by outclassing their derby rivals at Old Trafford. Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and an Andreas Pereira own goal gave the visitors a 3-0 lead at the break and it could have been more. Marcus Rashford’s second-half strike gave United a glimmer of hope for the second leg, but a 1-0 win at the Etihad Stadium was not enough for the Red Devils.