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Commentary
Minute
Description
90' +5
FULL-TIME: ASTON VILLA 1-2 MANCHESTER CITY.
90' +4
Aston Villa have one final corner as Nyland comes up for the delivery but it's cleared at the first time of asking and Grealish's attempt to put the ball back into the box is blocked.
90' +2
T. Mings gets yellow.
Mings is shown a yellow card for a foul on De Bruyne in midfield.
90'
The fourth official indicates five additional minutes will follow the 90.
86'
Bernardo Silva rolls a lovely pass down the flank for Jesus, who gets onto the end of it before cutting inside and having a shot - though it’s all for naught as the striker is flagged for offside.
84'
Gabriel Jesus enters the game and replaces S. Agüero.
Aguero limps off as Guardiola makes a precautionary third change of the match, sending Jesus on in his place.
82'
Bernardo Silva gets into the penalty area, driving to the byline before chipping a cross to the far post for Aguero. The Argentina international attempts an audacious scissor-kick which flies narrowly wide - though it looks like the striker has injured himself in the process.
80'
K. Davis enters the game and replaces M. Samatta.
Samatta is withdrawn with a goal to his name as Davis comes on with 10 minutes left.
77'
Bernardo Silva enters the game and replaces David Silva.
David Silva goes off to a warm reception as he is withdrawn in what will be his final appearance in the EFL Cup. Bernardo Silva replaces him with just under 15 minutes remaining.
72'
M. Nakamba gets yellow.
A reckless sliding challenge leaves Aguero in a heap and Nakamba in the referee’s notebook. The ball was there to be won but it’s a two-footed challenge from the midfielder who can count himself lucky to stay on the pitch.
Minute
Description
70'
C. Hourihane enters the game and replaces A. El Ghazi.
Trézéguet enters the game and replaces Ahmed El Mohamady.
Two changes at one time as Hourihane is also brought on, for El Ghazi.
Smith makes a change, as Elmohamady is replaced by Trezeguet.
68'
Ahmed El Mohamady gets yellow.
Elmohamady is booked for a mistimed challenge in midfield on David Silva.
67'
Aguero manages to wriggle free and turn to face goal in order to push a cross to the far post for Foden, but he’s unable to get to the ball before it rolls out for a goal-kick.
65'
Elmohamady sends a delightful cross into the penalty area, but Samatta is unable to turn his header goalwards as it continues his trajectory. El Ghazi comes flying into the penalty area on the other wing, but he’s unable to do anything with the loose ball.
62'
Foden plays a lovely ball through the channel for De Bruyne, who latches onto the ball in the penalty area and squares it for Aguero, only for a sliding Mings to put it out for a throw.
60'
Rodri gets yellow.
De Bruyne slips while in possession, leading to a potential counter-attack through Douglas Luiz. Rodri is there to prevent the Villa build-up with a sliding tackle which takes his man down. He's given a yellow card for the infraction.
58'
K. De Bruyne enters the game and replaces İ. Gündoğan.
Substitution İlkay Gündoğan Kevin De Bruyne
57'
R. Sterling gets yellow.
Sterling goes into a nasty tackle on Guilbert, running straight through the full-back without any chance to win the ball. He’s booked for the foul.
50'
Zinchenko receives a pass from David Silva on the left flank but he’s forced to apologise to his team-mates as his pacey cross misses the target entirely and sails over the crossbar for a goal-kick.
48'
Foden cuts inside, skipping past two defenders as he angles to have a shot; the final attempt is eventually blocked once again by a properly placed Mings.
46'
Neither side make a change as Manchester City get the second half underway from the kick-off.
45' +1
HALF-TIME: ASTON VILLA 1-2 MANCHESTER CITY.
45'
The fourth official indicates one minute of time will be added for stoppages.
43'
Aston Villa may have been outplayed in the first half, but a one-goal deficit at half-time against the holders is not an impossible situation to manage. They'll have to start the second half the way they did the first but carry the momentum.
41'
M. Samatta has scored a goal for Aston Villa! Assist by A. El Ghazi.
ASTON VILLA CUT THE DEFICIT IN HALF! Stones falls over in an attempt to stop the run of El Ghazi, allowing the winger to continue unimpeded down the left. When in position, he looks up and finds the run of Samatta, whose leaping header beats Bravo at the near post! 2-1!
El Ghazi makes amends for his earlier missed chance with a fantastic assist for Samatta's goal.
38'
Manchester City are all over Aston Villa as they force their opponents to chase shadows. The long switches and balls over the top for Foden and Sterling are unstoppable at this point in the match, with two more goal-scoring opportunities coming via the clipped ball after going 2-0 up.
36'
A short-corner routine gets the ball from the left flag to the centre of the pitch outside the penalty area, where Walker lines up a long-range effort, which constantly rises as it flies over the bar.
30'
Rodri has scored a goal for Manchester City! Assist by İ. Gündoğan.
CITY SCORE FROM THE CORNER! A set-piece that probably shouldn't have been rewarded as replays suggest the final touch came off Gundogan leads to a goal as Rodri gets the better of Guilbert just outside the six-yard box and thumps his header past the keeper! 2-0 to Manchester City!
Gundogan won the corner in suspect circumstances, but credit to him he delivered a spectacular cross for Rodri, who doubled their advantage.
28'
Manchester City now have the luxury of slowing play down, working it from side to side in search of a goal which will provide some needed insurance. Villa will be forced to come forward to attack, leaving gaps in-behind which City’s magnificent passers can exploit.
24'
El Ghazi takes matters into his own hands as he cuts inside on Stones, working enough room to dispatch a shot with falls comfortably at the feet of Bravo.
22'
Aston Villa look to get back level with a free-kick in a central position deep in midfield. Grealish chips it forward to the edge of the 18-yard box, but Zinchenko’s defensive header gets it clear.
20'
S. Agüero has scored a goal for Manchester City! Assist by P. Foden.
The diminutive forward registers an unlikely assist with his head after his intelligent knock-down for Aguero was put in by the Argentina international.
MANCHESTER CITY HAVE THE BREAKTHROUGH! Rodri plays a lovely ball over the top into the penalty area for Foden, who uses his head to knock it down for Aguero. The striker sees the bouncing ball and manages to power an awkward volley past Nyland! 1-0 to City!
19'
Mings slides into a challenge after a Villa free-kick is cleared away, looking to stop Aguero from driving forward on a counter-attack.
17'
Fernandinho is striding forward into midfield when City attack, dictating the play from a deep role and bringing the defensive line up into the opposition half. Guardiola’s side are trying anything they can to unlock space, but the well-drilled Villa XI are holding their shape well.
15'
Manchester City have stolen the initiative, but their attacks are forced down to a walking pace as Aston Villa pack their half in defence. Sterling has been unhappy about the lack of quality service down the flanks - worrying early signs of frustration.
13'
Sterling finds David Silva with an incisive pass in the channel, but Engels is once again alert to the danger, closing down the shooting angle and ensuring the eventual shot flies wide for a goal-kick.
11'
Aguero and David Silva link up intelligently in the penalty area, but it’s stolen off of the foot of the striker before he could take a shot - Engels clearing anywhere he can to alleviate the pressure.
9'
Aston Villa have started on the front foot, with Elmohamady and El Ghazi causing the Manchester City full-backs concern in the early stages. It’s as good as Smith could’ve hoped, as his side are matching their opponents man for man all over the pitch.
7'
Gundogan brings Grealish down in midfield, giving Villa a free-kick which is whipped into the penalty area - only for Stones to clear.
5'
WHAT A CHANCE FROM EL GHAZI! Elmohamady puts in a delightful cross from the right edge of the penalty area to the far post for El Ghazi - who puts his free header just over the crossbar!
3'
Guilbert takes a long throw into the penalty area looking for Samatta, but Rodri comes across and heads it out for the first corner of the match.
1'
Aston Villa get the EFL Cup final underway from the kick-off!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the EFL Cup final between Aston Villa and Manchester City!
Dean Smith brings his underdog Aston Villa side into their ninth EFL Cup final appearance in club history - their first since 2010 - looking for their sixth win overall. Beating Leicester City over two legs in the semi-finals, the Villains have since gone on to lose their following three Premier League matches; dropping them to 19th place, two points adrift of safety.
Manchester City are in search of their seventh trophy in this competition, winning each of the last two installments and three of the last four. With the added joy of knocking out cross-city rivals Manchester United in the previous stage, Pep Guardiola’s side are no-doubt favourites in the match - with a midweek win against Real Madrid in the Champions League further raising their spirits.
ASTON VILLA SUBS: Henri Lansbury, Pepe Reina, Keinan Davis, Conor Hourihane, Ezri Konsa Ngoyo, Trezeguet, Neil Taylor.
With 15 minutes remaining before kick-off, let's take a look at how the two sides will line up in the 60th EFL Cup final, starting with Aston Villa.
MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Gabriel Jesus, Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson, Nicolas Otamendi, Bernardo Silva, Benjamin Mendy, Riyad Mahrez.
ASTON VILLA XI (4-2-3-1): Orjan Nyland; Matt Targett, Tyrone Mings, Bjorn Engels, Frederic Guilbert; Douglas Luiz, Marvelous Nakamba; Anwar El Ghazi, Jack Grealish, Ahmed Elmohamady; Mbwana Samatta.
The goal before half-time will put Smith in a better mood, though there’s no denying that his side were outplayed for large amounts of the first half, conceding almost 70 percent possession in the process. Samatta has shown he can finish on limited chances, with perhaps increased quality from the bench in the form of Trezeguet or Lansbury the required addition. For City, they’ll look to hold the ball and hit on the counter through their pace, with Mahrez and Jesus available as fresh legs.
Manchester City win their seventh EFL Cup in club history, beating Aston Villa 2-1 in a match they thoroughly controlled. The second half brought with it similar themes to the first, with Guardiola’s side dominating possession and looking to hit down the flanks, where Foden and Sterling proved too much for their opposite full-backs. Aston Villa were unable to recreate their intensity from the start of the match until it was too late as Grealish struggled mightily to influence the match. The City substitutions further cemented the gulf in quality, as De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva were more than capable replacements to hold the lead. Smith will be pleased with the way his side fought, but ultimately they were no match for a side who have now won the last three EFL Cups in a row.
That concludes our commentary of the 60th EFL Cup final between Aston Villa and Manchester City! We hope you enjoyed it!
Aston Villa are in action again a week from tomorrow when they face Leicester City. Manchester City play Sheffield Wednesday in midweek FA Cup action before facing Manchester United next weekend.
MANCHESTER CITY XI (4-3-3): Claudio Bravo; Kyle Walker, John Stones, Fernandinho, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri, David Silva; Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero, Phil Foden.
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