A moment of magic from Rayan Cherki propelled Manchester City into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup with a professional 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
Cherki's Moment of Class Breaks the Deadlock
In a match played in relentless Manchester rain, quality was at a premium as both sides fielded rotated line-ups. City, with seven changes from the weekend, initially struggled to find rhythm against a disciplined Brentford defence. The game's pivotal moment arrived in the 32nd minute. After Brentford goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson collided with his own player clearing a corner, the ball fell to Cherki on the edge of the area. The Frenchman expertly sidestepped Mikkel Damsgaard before unleashing an unstoppable shot that arrowed into the top corner, via a slight deflection off Rico Henry.
Cherki, celebrating with a nod to teammate Erling Haaland's trademark moves, was the standout performer. His fourth goal for the club since his £30 million summer move from Lyon showcased the talent that has begun to blossom after an injury-disrupted start to his City career.
Controversy and Control at the Etihad
The first half was not without controversy. Brentford felt aggrieved in the 16th minute when City defender Abdukodir Khusanov brought down Kevin Schade on the edge of the box as the forward prepared to shoot. Referee Sam Barrott deemed it worthy of only a yellow card, a decision that frustrated the visitors. City also suffered an early setback when Oscar Bobb was forced off with an apparent hamstring injury, bringing Phil Foden into the action earlier than planned.
Brentford emerged with greater intent after the interval. Kristoffer Ajer forced a sharp save from James Trafford, and Michael Kayode tested the City goalkeeper soon after. Pep Guardiola responded with a triple substitution, introducing the experience of Bernardo Silva, Josko Gvardiol, and Matheus Nunes to regain control.
Savinho Seals the Deal for City
The changes had an immediate impact. Just minutes after coming on, Savinho doubled City's lead in the 65th minute. Picking up a pass from Tijjani Reijnders, the winger drove forward and saw his shot take a decisive deflection off the backtracking Ajer, wrong-footing Valdimarsson and ending the contest.
With the tie secured, City saw out the remainder of the game comfortably, creating further chances through Divine Mukasa and Savinho. The victory books Manchester City's place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals for the first time since they last won the competition in 2021, keeping alive their quest for a domestic cup double this season.
