Report and highlights as holders City earn chance to defend League Cup
Thursday 24 January 2019 07:15, UK
Manchester City saw off Burton 1-0 at the Pirelli Stadium to reach the Carabao Cup final with a 10-0 aggregate victory.
Leading the 9-0 from the first leg, Sergio Aguero's 26th-minute strike proved enough as a much-changed City overcame a Burton side keen to avoid a repeat of their trip to the Etihad two weeks prior.
City's 10-goal winning margin was the biggest in League Cup semi-final history, but battling Burton and freezing conditions left the holders two goals shy of new record for the largest winning margin in the competition outright.
The victory means Pep Guardiola's side can become the first Manchester City team to defend a major honour when they take on either Chelsea or Tottenham at Wembley on February 24.
Trailing by nine goals from the first leg and needing to inflict a club-record defeat on City to progress, pride was all that was at stake for Burton. Their manager Nigel Clough urged his players to enjoy the occasion, but they did more than that in an encouraging start full of desire and endeavour.
City had all of the ball but a combination of Burton's battling defensive display and testing conditions limited the holders to few clear-cut chances, though Riyad Mahrez should have done better when he flashed wide after getting in behind Damien McCrory.
Burton were a fingertip away from reducing the deficit to eight when Liam Boyce won and then got on the end of a free-kick, but Arijanet Muric got down just in time to keep his near-post flick out.
City were soon back on the attack but Mahrez failed to find the target with another left-footed shot from distance but Burton's resistance was soon broken on 26 minutes.
Kevin de Bruyne showed great feet to get away from two players in midfield before releasing Mahrez down the right, from where the Algerian squared for Aguero to dispatch from 12 yards.
Burton looked for an immediate response as William Miller curled a shot a few yards wide of the City goal, and the League One side were almost gifted an equaliser when Arijanet Muric's mis-control sent a back pass towards his goal line, but the City goalkeeper cleared before Marcus Harness could close him down.
Fabian Delph should have doubled City's lead with eight minutes of the restart, but his two scuffed efforts were kept out by Bradley Collins. Burton then went straight up the other end where they had an appeal for a penalty, but referee Kevin Friend was unmoved by David Templeton's coming together with Danilo.
Aguero submitted a contender for miss of the season on the hour when he sliced a shot wide after great work from Phil Foden presented the Argentine with a gilt-edged chance to double his and City's tally.
Gabriel Jesus was brought on as City looked for the two extra goals needed to set a new winning margin record in the competition, but the action came at the other end as Eric Garcia denied Burton what would have been a deserved goal, clearing Miller's attempted rebound off the line 20 minutes from time.
Jesus weaved his way into the area on 88 minutes only to see a shot blocked behind by Collins, before the Burton goalkeeper tipped a 25-yard Danilo free-kick over as the Brewers limited City to just the single goal.
Nigel Clough: "We were close two or three times but I'm very pleased with how we played. We got our pride back. We did everything we could. Being at home, the pressure was off as the tie was over but we put in a good performance against top players."
Pep Guardiola: "The game was a little bit dangerous because it was slippery, it was so dangerous. So no injuries is important. We have to enjoy this moment because we are in Wembley like last season, it's special. I am happy to be at Wembley again. Another final for the club is good."
In terms of goal-mouth action, the second leg was of stark contrast to the first, but there was a key denominator in the majority of City's chances and that was Mahrez. The Algerian had two sights of the Burton goal before he set up Aguero for the winner, taking his assist tally to three in his last three appearances and nine so far in his debut season with City.
Burton host Bradford in Sky Bet League One and Manchester City entertain Burnley in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday at 3pm.
