Manchester City on Tuesday cruised into the EFL Cup quarter-finals as Sergio Aguero’s double added to struggling Southampton’s misery in a 3-1 win.
Pep Guardiola’s Cup holders were two up by halftime at the Etihad Stadium thanks to goals from Nicolas Otamendi and Aguero.
Guardiola had made nine changes to the team who beat Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday, giving a debut to 18-year-old midfielder Tommy Doyle.
Photo: Reuters
Doyle’s grandfather Mike was City’s captain when they won the League Cup in 1976 and the club remain on course to win the tournament for a seventh time.
City, who have lifted the trophy three times in the past four seasons, began the fourth-round tie serenaded by chants of “We want 10” in reference to Southampton’s 9-0 thrashing by Leicester City on Friday last week.
Although City were never likely to match that incredible result, their progress to the last eight was inevitable after a one-sided first half.
The breakthrough came in the 20th minute, when Bernardo Silva looped in a cross and Otamendi headed home.
City’s second arrived in the 38th minute, when Kyle Walker sent over a cross and Aguero, on his 350th club appearance, produced a precise close-range finish for his 11th goal of the season.
Southampton are languishing in the Premier League relegation zone amid speculation that boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is in danger of being fired.
Hasenhuttl’s cause was hardly helped when Aguero made it three for City in the 56th minute, the Argentine poking in after Riyad Mahrez’s shot deflected high into the penalty area.
It was little consolation for Southampton when Jack Stephens headed in from a James Ward-Prowse corner in the 75th minute.
As if the past few days have not been painful enough for Southampton, they have to do it all again on Saturday when they return to Manchester, England, to face City in the Premier League.
The only frustration for City was a late injury to reserve leftback Angelino.
“This competition is good to move the team on. We played seriously, the quality of our passing was high,” Guardiola said.
“The League Cup is really good for the young players and for the players who didn’t play in the last game,” he said. “You cannot win four titles in one season when you don’t play games so seriously. I was happy with what I saw.”
Everton eased the pressure on beleaguered boss Marco Silva with a 2-0 win over his former club Watford.
Silva’s team are just outside the Premier League relegation zone after Saturday’s last-gasp defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Another loss to a Watford team with an even worse record this season could have been fatal for Silva, but Mason Holgate and Richarlison gave him some breathing space.
Everton, who have never won the Cup, had to wait until the 72nd minute before they finally took the lead. Theo Walcott guided the ball toward Holgate and the defender was free to thump in a header from close range.
Former Watford striker Richarlison completed the much-needed win with a clinical finish in stoppage-time.
“We deserved it. We were the best team. We were a little bit slow in some moments in the first half, but we were better in the second half. We were quicker, more assertive and got our goals,” Silva said.
Leicester joined City and Everton in the last eight with a 3-1 victory at League One side Burton Albion.
Sitting third in the Premier League, Brendan Rodger’s side maintained their impressive form, despite nine changes.
Kelechi Iheanacho, Youri Tielemans and James Maddison scored for Leicester City.
Oxford United beat fellow third-tier side Sunderland 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
The 1986 winners are into the last eight for the first time since 1988, having already thrashed West Ham United in the previous round.
Colchester United won 3-1 at fourth-tier rivals Crawley Town as they followed up their memorable shock win over Tottenham Hotspur in the previous round.
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