In an intense quarter-final match of the English Cup, Manchester City defeated Liverpool by a large score at their home stadium, securing a ticket to another important match at Wembley Stadium.
After the international break, Pep Guardiola's team showed readiness to fight for the cup again, following their victory two weeks ago in the English League Cup final against Arsenal.
Experts from Cityxtra.co.uk published five key conclusions from the “Citizens’” victory over Liverpool.
Haaland restored confidence
After an excellent start to the season, Haaland experienced a slight decline for several months, with a reduction in the number of goals and assists, which negatively affected the team’s play.
However, after a strong performance in the English League Cup final, the 25-year-old footballer scored three goals in the match against Liverpool, playing a decisive role in leading the team to the semi-final. Haaland’s restored morale coincided with the critical stage of the Premier League title race, while only two matches remained on the path to the cup.
City remains a contender for the championship
Manchester City is in top form and ready for the decisive fight for the title. Although there had been some declines with Haaland, after the away match against Real Madrid and a draw with West Ham, the “Citizens” regained their strength.
After the ten-man match in Manchester against Real Madrid, the team showed excellent football at Wembley and won the League Cup. This energy and desire for victory carried over into the Saturday match at Etihad, with “City” taking the field in a completely different form.
In the fight for the Premier League title against Arsenal, the team must take advantage of this opportunity and return to the main contenders by May.
Khusanov — symbol of speed and strength
Although Abdukodir Khusanov remains somewhat out of the media spotlight, he once again delivered an excellent performance in the English Cup victory. Having corrected the mistakes from his debut match against Chelsea in 2025, he uses his speed and power to outpace even the fastest attackers and successfully take the ball.
On Saturday, Khusanov once again demonstrated that he is one of the most important players in the current Manchester City squad.
Trafford acted confidently
James Trafford, who joined the team in the summer to become the main goalkeeper, had a difficult first season. However, when given the opportunity, he acted calmly and reliably. In the match against Liverpool, he saved a penalty and brought victory to “City.” As a backup goalkeeper, he demonstrated that the team now has two high-level goalkeepers.
Wembley awaits again
Manchester City fans jokingly call Wembley “Etihad in the South.” Since Guardiola’s arrival, the team has visited the English national team’s home stadium a record 23 times.
After an easy victory on Saturday, “City” advanced to the English Cup semi-final and is once again preparing for the match at Wembley. Guardiola’s team will try to take revenge for the final defeats of the last two seasons, as the club last won the cup in 2023, achieving the historic treble.
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