Manchester City overcame an early scare to defeat Swansea City 3-1 and secure their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, thanks to late goals from Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki.
The Championship side had dared to dream after Goncalo Franco’s stunning opener gave them an early lead. Franco struck in style, curling a magnificent 20-yard shot into the top corner after Melker Widell’s smart pass to Josh Key and a neat layoff inside the box. It was a goal worthy of the occasion and gave Swansea belief that an upset might be on the cards.
Manchester City, however, showed why they are eight-time winners of this competition. Despite Pep Guardiola making ten changes to his side, they eventually found their rhythm after a shaky start. Rayan Cherki, returning from injury, was a constant threat and came close to equalising when his effort struck the post midway through the first half.
The breakthrough came just before halftime when Jeremy Doku’s low shot deflected off Cameron Burgess and wrong-footed goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, levelling the score at 1-1. From then on, City began to dominate possession, though Swansea remained disciplined and organised at the back.
After the restart, Guardiola’s men pressed relentlessly. Swansea goalkeeper James Trafford was called into action again, denying Widell’s low strike after Abdukodir Khusanov’s misplaced pass almost gifted the hosts a second goal. Yet as the second half wore on, City’s pressure finally told.
With 13 minutes left, Cherki threaded a perfectly weighted through-ball into the path of Marmoush, who lashed home his first goal for the club, sparking relief and celebration among the travelling City fans. The French playmaker then added a goal of his own deep into added time, calmly rolling a low shot into the bottom corner to make it 3-1 — his first strike since August.
It was a deserved turnaround for Guardiola’s side, who showed patience and quality after their early struggles. Swansea’s spirited performance earned them admiration, but City’s class and composure ultimately prevailed.
With the win, Manchester City march on to the quarter-finals, where they will host Brentford as they continue their pursuit of a ninth League Cup crown.
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