fbpx
Connect with us

English Premier League

Newcastle fans keep themselves entertained and mock empty seats in defeat at Man City

Newcastle fans keep themselves entertained and mock empty seats in the 3-1 (5-1 agg) defeat at Man City on Wednesday night.

Manchester City knocked out holders Newcastle to set up Carabao Cup final against Arsenal, with Omar Marmoush grabbing a double by the 29th minute, and Tijjani Reijnders also getting on the scoresheet for Pep Guardiola’s side on 32 minutes.

Anthony Elanga pulled one back for Newcastle on 62 minutes while Harvey Barnes saw his goal disallowed.

In the away end, chants of “Eddie Howe’s black and white army”, “We’re going to win 6-5!” and many a phone filming the empty seats around the Etihad,

“Wembley again, ole ole,” was the chant from the remaining home fans come full time.

BBC Sport’s live blog wrote on the 90th minute: “Loads of Manchester City fans heading for the exits. Why? Stay and applaud your team. They’re heading to Wembley.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, speaking to Sky Sports: “With Newcastle you can never control them completely. They had a one against one with James [Trafford] – James was unbelievable especially in the first half. I know the rhythm the players have and we saw it. Newcastle are a Champions League team with top-class players. It was an incredibly intense game in all departments but the guys were really good.

“In March we go to Wembley again. We will travel to London again, they [Arsenal] will wait for us there. They never travel to the north [for finals] but I am really happy to be back. Five ties in 10 years is a big milestone.”

On Omar Marmoush: “His movements are really top. The movements in behind and the incredible sense of goal. Really pleased for him. That type of game can always be complicated mentally but we started really well.”

On James Trafford’s development: “I said from the beginning he is a top keeper. He has an incredible future ahead of him. He is going to play in the first Carabao Cup final for him.”

On some players having the chance to win a first trophy with the club: “It will be good. You have to live this experience. The first title we won here was in the Carabao Cup. When you win something, it helps to win more. It’s a pleasure to play against Arsenal, the best team right now in Europe and maybe the world.”

Guardiola, speaking to Sky Sports: “Hopefully we can arrive with players fit and hopefully we can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc [Guehi] can play in the final because it’s difficult to understand. The club made a big investment to take one player.

“He belongs to us and I don’t understand why he cannot play the final.

“Hopefully we make a letter and hopefully the Carabao Cup or whatever can understand that when you buy a player for a lot of money and he is not able to play for a rule, I don’t understand why.

“Hopefully they can change it.”

Guardiola, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live on making it to Wembley again: “Many years, many times. Hopefully, we arrive all good, all fit in March to compete against an exceptional, top-class team.

“The two games we make a good result, so we started the game with not 0-0, with 2-0, but we start the game, anything can happen. We start with the right pace, momentum, everything was really, really good.”

“The second half, of course, our rhythm, it’s hard to sustain it for a long time. We bring energy with Rodri, Rayan [Ait-Nouri] and Erling [Haaland] come on. The energy dropped. Newcastle never stopped to press and run and press. They put three players like [Jacob] Murphy, like [Anthony] Elanga, like [Yoane] Wissa, the complete opposite of what we’re looking for, going in behind and run and run, and we suffer.

On the crowd: “We know we have to embrace them through our game. We had to do it and the first half was really good.”

On facing Arsenal in the final: “Many things are going to happen. Hopefully, we arrive fit, fine, well, everybody ready. I’m looking forward to that. That is all.”

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, speaking to Sky Sports: “It was the start we didn’t want. The first goal, Dan has gone to clear the ball and it’s gone off their attacker and gone in. That sums up the start of the game we had. It was the opposite of what we wanted and it took the game away from us.”

On if his side were punished for not taking chances: “In both games if you look back. We are frustrated we only scored one goal in two games. We don’t feel we should have lost the first leg 2-0 on the balance of opportunities created. It could have been different but we accept the reality. The last thing you want to do is have to chase a game. We were going for the match, we were trying to attack.”

On Anthony Gordon: “It looks like hamstring injury, I don’t think it looks too bad.”

On the first half performance: “Really annoyed with the first-half display because we pride ourselves on been really organised and tactically we want to be able to handle any problem the opposition gives us.

“But that first half, I just don’t think we were good enough. Our duels were off. That gave us huge problems. We didn’t well at all, I think.

“So, yeah, the first half was really disappointing. Where does that leave our season? That leaves our season, we are still fighting on several fronts. I think the games are coming thick and fast, there is no let-up for us.”

On the cup exit: “It is painful. We obviously loved the ride that we had last year in the cup and all the moments and the experience, and we were desperate to do it again.

“We’re finding it difficult in this moment having just played Paris, Liverpool and Manchester City away. That’s a tough schedule for any team to face, and we’re dealing with the number of injuries that we have. There are no excuses, it’s just that’s the reality.

“We’re missing some really big players, and I think you could feel that from their performance tonight.”

Manchester City goalscorer Omar Marmoush, speaking to Sky Sports: “We showed a very good mentality. We were together as a team, from the first minute we were very focused on the job. We showed our mentality and passion and are very happy to reach the final.”

On his goals: “The first goal was very lucky, my touch wasn’t the best but the ball went in. I try to make the runs and be in the right place and I am very happy to score two goals.”

On scoring five in total against Newcastle: “I wished to get the hat-trick today but I am very happy to score two goals and it gives us all confidence to win the game and hopefully we can win the final.”

On what it means to have a chance of winning his first silverware with Man City: “It’s one of the biggest clubs in the world. We are here to win trophies. We give our best every day to reach these finals and win silverware. Hopefully we can do it for all the new players and also the players that were here. They showed us that every medal and every silverware is important.”

Manchester City goalscorer Tijjani Reijnders, speaking to Sky Sports: “We were very eager to go to the final and we showed that from the first minute. Amazing team performance.”

On if tonight was a more controlled performance: “Yeah. Despite the goal we had against us we controlled the game much more. That is something we have to build on. Today was a better performance and from that we can build.”

On his goal: “I was a bit surprised that there was so much space in between the lines. With players like Phil [Foden] and me, when we get that space we can attack very quick and that was nice today.”

On how the winning mentality from other players rubs off: “I play football because I want to win trophies. Now I am going to Wembley for the first time that will be amazing. We will do everything to win the Carabao Cup.”

On if the Premier League gap will fuel Man City to beat Arsenal: “Yes, of course. It will be a tough match, but we will be very hungry and we want to win this title. They play amazing and they are a really balanced team. We have to analyse and see where we can gain our strength.”

Twitter users reacted after seeing Newcastle fans keep themselves entertained and mock empty seats in defeat at Man City…

@jfg96_: My hot take is that City fans shouldn’t feel any shame or embarrassment about the empty seats. It’s the club that have chosen to expand the ground (twice), increased season ticket prices year on year and alienated local supporters in the process that should.

@TheSeanIdentity: It actually is a disgrace how many empty seats there are at the Etihad, you might be two up in the second leg but it’s a cup semi final, absolutely soulless institution.

@DarrenArsenal1: So to defend City fans, the whole empty seats debate is always an easy stick to beat a team with. BUT, City is not a London team, or a historical big team with a big global fanbase, so you dont have the ‘tourist’ sale as such to fill seats. Its a local club, primarily local fans. Add that to City fans fury at ticket changes at the club, so a passive boycott, and match fatigue on costs in an period where mr/mrs average is going through a cost of living crisis, just end up being a lot of empty seats. Not making excuses for fanbase, just pointing out rationals! And no your new signing should not be allowed to play in the final !

@Jake_Phillips97: The amount of empty seats at the Etihad is fucking embarrassing.

@MCFC_Rog: Semi final and we got 10s thousands empty seats. Unbelievable this

@bennufc_18: Games over but just have to say It’s a semi final and I see more empty seats than people, honestly such a shame that the riches of Abu Dhabi are wasted on a soulless club and not one with a proper fanbase that deserves it.

@Orangeiceman10: Empty seats at a semi final tells you everything you need to know

@GillyClarke25: Make the fuss about empty seats all you want but I’m off to Wembley to watch the boys in blue with me old man again. That’s Manchester City to me.

@1cornishblue: Any Newcastle fans struggling to get to sleep tonight, rather than counting the goals you conceded try counting the empty seats you’re so excited about 👍

@TheHandofRod: You know what really keeps me up at night? Empty seats. Take back the treble, the quadruple, the four in a row, the 100 points. I’d swap it all now. 😭

Related Topics
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

More in English Premier League