Manchester City knocked Swansea City out of the third round of the EFL Cup with a comfortable 2-1 victory at the Liberty Stadium on Wednesday night.
Two goals early in the second half
for City from Gael Clichy and Aleix Garcia sealed the deal for the
visitors to send them through to the next round, despite an injury time consolation goal from Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Just three days before Pep Guardiola's men are set to travel back to the Liberty Stadium in a Premier League clash, the Swans were unable to capitalise on some early chances and good play against an understrength City side.
Swansea would be welcoming back defender Neil Taylor to the side, while club captain Leon Britton would be playing a role also. Club record signing Borja Baston would also be making his first start for the Swans up front.
For City, club captain Vincent Kompany was set to start after a long absence through a thigh injury, however David Silva was doubtful with a leg injury from their league victory over Bournemouth at the weekend.
Much like the debut showing of their new orange and blue third strip, City started the brighter of the two sides, looking to press the Swans to suffocate their passing early on in the half.
The first chance of the game should have fallen to the Swans however, as Jack Cork couldn't make the most of intercepting Willy Cabellero's first pass of the match,umbling on the ball before conceding possession to Fernando.
City then replied moments later with their first shot of the game. Great link up play down the right flank between Jesus Navas and Pablo Zabaleta saw the latter deliver allow cross which youngster Angelino volleyed narrowly wide.
Despite their dominance on the ball, it was the Swans who looked most likely to score,mostly relying on further misplaced passes by Cabellero. The Argentine gave another slack pass which new-boy Baston Borja aimed towards goal, only for his shot to be tipped
over well by the keeper.
City continued to look shaky
bringing the ball out from the back, resorting to long range efforts
from the likes of Leroy Sane cutting on from the right, while the Swans
continued to threaten at the other end but for some great defending by
returning skipper Vincent Kompany.
City's best chance of the half came from the Swans almost putting the ball in their own net when Mike van der Hoorn's intercepted cross was sent towards his own goal, but his keeper Kristoffer Nordfelt was on hand with a low save to his right.
In the second half, Swansea continued to put their 31% possession to good use with decent half-chances, however against the run of play it was City who made their dominance
pay early on with a rare goal for Gael Clichy after a deflected shot from the left looped over
Nordfelt to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
City's
new found confidence began to show in attack cutting through Swansea's
back four with their pace out wide, however the home side continued to
threaten through more sloppy passing from Pep's team, as Cabellero
blocked Gylfi Sigurdsson's shot after John Stones
conceded possession.
conceded possession.
City appeared to have wrapped the
game up moments later however with their second of the night. Navas
pulled the ball back from the byline for Aleix Garcia to finish first
time
in the box.
in the box.
Some last minute substitutions inspired an injury time goal for Sigurdsson for the Swans,but this wasn't enough to spark a dramatic comeback, and Francesco Guidolin will have to wait until the weekend to take another pop at Guardiola's side following their 2-1 home
loss in the EFL cup third round.
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