Antoine Semenyo scored for a second game running as Manchester City edged past Newcastle 2-0 in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at St. James Park.
The £62m signing from Bournemouth opened the scoring by tapping in Jeremy Doku’s cross, before his second from a corner was ruled out after a lengthy VAR review.
Eddie Howe’s injury-stricken side never found the end product for an equaliser with Rayan Cherki instead doubling City’s lead deep in stoppage time, meaning the Magpies’ record 10-match winning run in the competition came to an abrupt end.
As it happened
Newcastle almost went in front just four minutes in when Jacob Murphy picked out Yoanna Wissa with a sensational first time cross, but the Frenchman lashed the shot over.
Nick Pope’s only real cause for concern all half came as he parried away Bernardo Silva’s cut-back from the byline, with Erling Haaland lying in wait for a tap in.
Murphy and Wissa linked up nicely again just before the half-hour mark after a stop-start period of play, yet the offside flag raised on the far side this time around.
A pushing and shoving match between midfielders Joelinton and Nico O’Reilly didn’t help to recover the flow of the game, both receiving needless bookings from Chris Kavangh.
It meant the Brazilian has been shown more yellow cards in all competitions than any other Premier League player.
Murphy and Anthony Gordon’s directness caused issues for the City full-backs, but a stagnated first half ended as Nathan Aké saw his shot deflected over in stoppage time.
The Magpies started the second just as brightly as Wissa – on the end of Gordon’s cross – saw his header tipped onto the bar by James Trafford, before Bruno Guimareas was denied by the post.
But it would mean very little as Antoine Semenyo was on hand to tap into the net, after Jeremy Doku’s low cross was touched past Malick Thiaw by Silva on the slide.
The winger then added a second just after the hour with an instinctive flick after Newcastle failed to clear a corner, but Haaland was impeding Thiaw in an offside position.
A lengthy VAR check recommended an onfield review, and the goal was wiped out.
Eddie Howe’s side responded immediately as Sandro Tonali fired just wide on the end of a cushioned header by fellow substitute Anthony Elanga, 20 minutes from time.
Substitute Rayan Cherki was running through the middle in search of a winner with three of the nine added minutes gone, but his shot was tame and easily saved by Pope.
He redeemed himself in the dying seconds though, sweeping home from Aït-Nouri’s cross to settle the City nerves after Nick Woltemade had come within inches of nodding in a late equaliser.
Analysis: Semenyo instantly repaying £62m transfer fee
While some eyebrows might have been raised by his inclusion in the lineup that demolished Exeter City 10-1 in the FA Cup, it’s evidently paying off with Semenyo settling in nicely.
The Englishman became the first Man City player to score and assist on debut since Sergio Aguero in 2011, and kept up his fine start with a poacher’s goal to put them in front.
He could’ve had a brace after his finish just inside the six yard box, had VAR not spotted Erling Haaland preventing Malick Thiaw from blocking it from an offside position.
Semenyo impressed most with his versatility while at Bournemouth, being able to carry the ball forward and have the end product to finish his chances.
His three ball carries ending in goals ranks the winger first in the Premier League, and his deadly final touch was on full show in this semi-final first leg.
Match stats
The lineups
NEW: Pope; Hall, Botman, Thiaw, Miley; Joelinton, Guimaraes (C) (87′ Trippier), Ramsey (68′ Tonali); Gordon (68′ Elanga), Wissa (69′ Woltemade), Murphy (45+1′ Barnes)
MCI: Trafford, Aké (88′ Aït-Nouri), Alleyne, Khusanov, Nunes (62′ Lewis); O’Reilly (62′ Rodri), Foden (62′ Reijnders), Silva; Doku (77′ Cherki), Semenyo, Haaland