Nathan Ake scored Manchester City’s first goal since April to defeat Liverpool’s challenge in a nail-biting Carabao Cup matchup at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City won the match thanks to Ake’s goal.
City drove multiple times and, on the initial two events, they were fixed back. After Riyad Mahrez had cut inside from Rodri’s brilliant crossfield pass and found the bottom corner on the second occasion, Mohamed Salah only needed one minute to restore parity.
After 58 minutes, however, Kevin de Bruyne delivered a superb far-post cross that dropped just over Nat Phillips’ head and was perfectly placed for Ake, who nodded home, just as he had done for Erling Haaland’s opener, which was his 24th goal of the season.
Pep Guardiola is on track to win his fifth UEFA Champions League title, making him the most successful City manager in the competition’s history.
However, Liverpool, for whom Fabio Carvalho had already scored an equalizer midway through the first half, had their chances. Three times, Darwin Nunez shot across the face of the goal and wide of the far post when he was in a much better position to do so.
When Salah completely outpaced Aymeric Laporte, Nunez did set up the goal, but the visitors didn’t come back with a third, and their trophy-winning run is over.