Manchester City 2-1 Bristol City

Sergio Aguero scored an damage-time winner as Manchester City came from in the motivate of to beat Bristol City in the Carabao Cup semi-closing first leg.

The Championship aspect had been lovely, notably in the principle half, and led from Bobby Reid’s penalty, awarded after John Stones chopped down the Robins player.

But Kevin de Bruyne equalised for the unbeaten Premier League leaders after a one-two with Raheem Fine.

And because the underdogs regarded arrangement to salvage a blueprint and an away design motivate to Bristol for the second leg, change Aguero headed in Bernardo Silva’s inferior.

But Bristol City – who knocked out their hosts’ neighbours Manchester United in the old round – produced a efficiency that will give them encouragement for the return at Ashton Gate on Tuesday, 23 January (19:45 GMT).

Heartbreak for gallant Bristol City

Lee Johnson’s Bristol City luxuriate in had a season to preserve in tips. Besides intriguing for promotion to the cease flight, they luxuriate in beaten four Premier League aspects on their saunter to the last four – Watford, Stoke, Crystal Palace and famously United in the quarter-finals.

Impressively in a season where many Premier League aspects luxuriate in adopted defensive tactics towards Manchester City, who’re yet to lose a home game all season, the Robins played some gallant, unhealthy attacking soccer.

Joe Bryan had a shot saved by Claudio Bravo at his attain put up and then Marlon Pack’s 20-yard shot from Oleksandr Zinchenko’s clearance modified into once straight at the keeper.

They deserved to handbook when Josh Brownhill received the ball off Eliaquim Mangala and played in Reid, who modified into once introduced down by Stones’ mistimed form out.

The Robins had been more subdued in the second half, but almost scored a infamous winner when debutant Liam Walsh fired broad from the corner of the field behind on. And he modified into once made to remorse that miss the total more when Aguero popped up seconds from the end.

Man City far from classic – but take all over again

Pep Guardiola’s aspect are nonetheless in rivals for four trophies this season, with the Premier League making an are trying all but received given their 15-level lead over Manchester United.

The Catalan named an spectacular line-up, even supposing he began without a recognised striker and Fine taking half in centrally. And for the second time in three days his aspect came motivate from 1-0 down to take, having knocked Burnley out of the FA Cup four-1 on Saturday.

Their early makes an are trying had been saved out by solid Robins defending, even supposing they almost led when De Bruyne’s shot modified into once tipped over by keeper Frank Fielding.

Then, after Mangala and Stones had been both at fault for the guests’ converted penalty, the hosts belief that they had levelled completely for Fine’s chip over Fielding to be sensationally headed off the goalline by Aden Flint.

But Manchester City luxuriate in demonstrated a fierce will to take this season and so that they saved pushing for a design that sooner or later came from De Bruyne.

The switch began with goalkeeper Bravo, who played the ball to the Belgian attain the midway line. De Bruyne charged towards the field and chanced on Fine, who played a considerable-time hotfoot motivate to the playmaker to belt the ball dwelling from sixteen yards out.

As so in most cases this season, Manchester City chanced on a last-minute design when they wished it, Aguero heading in Silva’s inferior from shut differ.

The champions elect are in reality unbeaten in 33 home video games, a saunter stretching motivate to April.

Man of the match – Aden Flint (Bristol City)

Match stats – Bristol City arrangement attendance document

• Bristol City supplied out their allocation of seven,680 – the very best likely away attendance at Etihad Stadum in its 15-yr history.
• Manchester City luxuriate in reached the closing of the League Cup on three of the old four events when successful the semi-closing first leg, with the exception being towards Manchester United in 2009-10.
• The Citizens are unbeaten of their past 32 video games in home rivals (W26 D6), with their last loss coming towards Arsenal in the FA Cup in April 2017.
• The last team from a lower division to lose a League Cup semi-closing first leg towards Premier League opposition and nonetheless qualify for the closing modified into once Birmingham City – towards Ipswich in 2000-01 (four-2 on aggregate).
• Bristol City luxuriate in scored more targets than every other team in the League Cup in 2017-18, with 12 of their 17 coming towards Premier League opposition.
• Three of Sergio Aguero’s 5 targets in the League Cup were scored in semi-finals (moreover towards West Ham in January 2014 and Everton in January 2016).
• Kevin de Bruyne has been straight fascinated about nine targets in eight appearances for Manchester City in the League Cup (six targets, three assists).
• Bobby Reid has scored 10 targets faraway from dwelling in all competitions this period of time – completely Harry Kane (14), Jack Marriott (thirteen) and Mohamed Salah (eleven) luxuriate in scored more among gamers in the cease four tiers.

What’s subsequent?

Both clubs are motivate in league action this weekend.

Premier League leaders Manchester City hotfoot to Liverpool on Sunday (sixteen:00 GMT). Fourth-placed Bristol City are at dwelling to Norwich in the Championship on Saturday, thirteen January (15:00 GMT).