Man City, Arsenal affirm their "big" status at the English League Cup

(Dan Tri) - Man City and Arsenal both had to play away in the third round of the English League Cup, however against weaker opponents, they both showed the class of a big team and both won 2-0 to advance.

Man City overwhelmed home team Huddersfield Town

In the early morning of September 25 (Vietnam time), Man City visited Huddersfield Town's John Smith's Stadium in the third round of the English League Cup. Despite only fielding a squad consisting of many reserve players and young talents, coach Pep Guardiola's team still showed their superiority and won 2-0 easily.

From the very first minutes, Man City completely dominated the game. Their ability to control the ball and press high helped them continuously push Huddersfield back into their own half. In the 18th minute, after a central combination, Phil Foden fired a powerful long-range shot, opening the score for the away team. The goal helped Man City players play more comfortably, while Huddersfield almost only knew how to defend.

Foden celebrates with his teammates after opening the score (Photo: Getty).

In the second half, Huddersfield tried to push up the formation to find an equalizer, but the difference in class prevented them from creating many clear-cut opportunities. In the 74th minute, Savinho unleashed a thunderous left-footed shot from inside the penalty area into the home team's net to double the gap.

During the remaining time, Pep Guardiola proactively withdrew key players, giving opportunities to young players. Huddersfield had a few notable counter-attacks but could not penetrate the net of goalkeeper James Trafford. The match ended with a 2-0 victory for Man City.

This result puts the reigning Premier League champions into the fourth round of the English League Cup. With their depth and consistent form, Guardiola and his team continue to be considered the top candidates for the title.

Arsenal easily beat Port Vale

In the early morning of September 25, Arsenal visited Vale Park to play Port Vale in the third round of the English League Cup. Although coach Mikel Arteta made many changes to the starting lineup, the London team still showed their superiority and won convincingly 2-0 to qualify for the fourth round.

In the 8th minute, Arsenal opened the scoring. Eberechi Eze - a new signing in the summer transfer window - finished accurately after a quick combination, putting the "Gunners" ahead. The goal helped Arteta's students play more comfortably, completely control the game and create many dangerous opportunities.

Eze celebrates after scoring for Arsenal (Photo: Getty).

Port Vale mostly defended in large numbers, waiting for counter-attack opportunities but hardly created many notable situations. Meanwhile, Arsenal maintained a steady pace, avoiding getting into fierce disputes on the narrow pitch.

By the end of the second half, the away team sealed the victory. In the 86th minute, Leandro Trossard received a long pass from his teammate, he handled it skillfully before firing a shot from the edge of the penalty area into the left corner of the goal to increase the score to 2-0. In the remaining minutes, Arsenal played solidly and secured the result.

The win puts Arsenal through to the fourth round, where they will face Brighton & Hove Albion. This is expected to be a much tougher test than Port Vale, but the performance at Vale Park showed the depth and determination of Arteta and his team.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/man-city-arsenal-khang-dinh-dang-cap-ong-lon-tai-cup-lien-doan-anh-20250925071021415.htm