Coming to Swansea, Manchester City used a squad with 10 changes compared to the previous match, although still considered superior. However, the visitors struggled in Wales when they were behind in the 12th minute after a great goal by Goncalo Franco from the home team.
Facing the opponent's fast and skillful playing style, Man City's star players rarely play side by side. Rayan Cherki had an opportunity to equalize with a shot hitting the post after Rico Lewis' skillful handling. Meanwhile, in defense, Abdukodir Khusanov made a mistake that almost caused Pep Guardiola's team to concede a second goal.
Luckily, Man City came in the 43rd minute, when Jeremy Doku's shot hit Cameron Burgess' leg and changed direction, leaving goalkeeper Andy Fisher helpless. The 1-1 draw was established before the end of the first half.
In the second half, The Citizens took the initiative, but Swansea played defensive counter-attacks, causing many difficulties for the away team. It was not until the 78th minute that Cherki's individual class created a turning point. He made a delicate pass for Marmoush to finish accurately, putting Man City ahead.
In the extra minutes, Cherki scored himself when dribbling the ball to avoid two Swansea defenders, then finished into the far corner, sealing a 3-1 victory for the blue half of Manchester. Although not easy, this victory helped Man City secure a ticket to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Results of some other notable matches in the 4th round of the Carabao Cup:
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Wolves 3-4 Chelsea
Newcastle 2-0 Tottenham
