Man City Knocks-out Defending Champions Liverpool From The Carabao Cup.

Manchester City defeats defending champions Liverpool 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday night to advance to the quarter-finals.

Both Pep Guardiola, and Jurgen Klopp, started the game with almost a strong XI;

Man City: Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Laporte, Ake; Rodri, De Bruyne, Gundogan; Mahrez, Palmer, Haaland.

Subs: Carson, Stones, Walker, Cancelo, Gomez, Robertson, Bernardo, Grealish, Foden.

Liverpool: Kelleher; Milner, Matip, Gomez, Robertson; Bajcetic, Thiago, Elliott; Salah, Nunez, Carvalho.

Subs: Adrian, Phillips, Ramsay, Tsimikas, Fabinho, Henderson, Keita, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Doak.

10 minute into the encounter, Kevin De Bruyne is onside as he collects the ball on the left, before he crosses for Erling Haaland to volley home. 

Liverpool draw level on the 20th minute after Joel Matip's short pass into the box finds James Milner, who lays the ball off for Fabio Carvalho to place a low effort into the bottom corner with a sweeping shot from 12 yards.

The first-half ended in a 1-1 draw.

Two minutes into the new half, Thiago gives the ball away in the midfield and after a ball is floated into the box, Riyad Mahrez takes a beautiful first touch before firing in across goal with his left foot to restore Man City's lead 2-1.

Just eighty seconds later, The Reds leveled the scoreline again, as Darwin Nunez is released down the right and as he canters into the box past Laporte, before he squares the ball for Mohamed Salah to slot home.

City came back in front through a superb cross from Kevin De Bruyne whose ball to the far post is headed in by Nathan Ake past Kelleher to make it 3-2.

The victory for the Cityzens means, they have now eliminate both of last season’s finalists in successive rounds having beaten Chelsea 2-0 at the Etihad in Round three with goals from Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez.

Man City who are winners of the EFL Cup four years in a row between 2018 and 2021,  were memorably dumped out of the tournament on penalties by West Ham United in the fourth round last season, as Liverpool proved their penalty-kick prowess defeating Chelsea on penalties in the final.