LONDON (Reuters) -Alexander Isak broke the deadlock as last season’s finalists Newcastle United dumped eight times winners Manchester City out of the League Cup 1-0 in a third round clash at St James’ Park on Wednesday.
The Premier League champions dominated with a much-changed side in the first half but Newcastle soaked up the pressure and came out fighting after the break, with Isak firing in at the far post off a cross from Joelinton in the 53rd.
City left Phil Foden and regular goal machine Erling Haaland on the bench while Newcastle started only goalkeeper Nick Pope from the team that won 8-0 at Sheffield United in the league last Sunday.
Julian Alvarez had two good chances, one shot denied by Pope’s outstretched foot, for City who had 68% of the possession but still fewer shots on target than Newcastle.
“It was a game of two halves for us,” said Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.
“First half was tough…I thought we didn’t play particularly well but defended well in that first period because we didn’t have a lot of the ball.
“In the second half we were excellent in most aspects, defensively and offensively, we attacked really well and probably deserved to win in the end.”
It was the third year in a row that City, winners four times in a row from 2018 to 2021, had gone out of the competition early.
High-flying Brighton & Hove Albion also went out, beaten 1-0 at Chelsea, while Aston Villa and Brentford both lost at home to their top flight opponents Everton (2-1) and Arsenal (1-0) respectively.
Nine times winners Liverpool beat Leicester City 3-1 at Anfield after a side stripped of their familiar stars went a goal down to the second-tier leaders with just three minutes gone.
Cody Gakpo scored in the 48th to cancel out Kasey McAteer’s opener and Dominik Szoboszlai fired home a thunderous drive to make it 2-1 in the 70th, five minutes after coming on, and Diogo Jota grabbed the third in the 89th.
The win was Liverpool’s seventh in a row in all competitions.
Fulham won 2-1 at home to second tier Norwich City while Premier League Bournemouth beat Championship side Stoke City 2-0 with two second-half goals in three minutes from substitute Dominic Solanke and Joe Rothwell.
West Ham United won 1-0 at League One Lincoln City.
Blackburn Rovers thrashed Championship rivals Cardiff City 5-2 in the highest scoring match of the night.
Holders Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 3-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Toby Davis)
