7 mins After a triangular passing sequence between Nathan Ake, Nico O'Reilly Nico Gonzalez just into the United half on the City left, Ake's through ball reached Omar Marmoush in the left channel. His flicked first time pass infield reached Tijjani Reijnders, who in turn flicked it back to Marmoush.

That took both Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw out of the play but as Marmoush raced into the United box, Dan Burn broke away from shadowing Antoine Semenyo to make what looked like a well-timed sliding tackle to dispossess the Egyptian.

Burn succeeded only in deflecting the ball off Marmoush's left shin however and it looped up over the stranded Aaron Ramsdale and into the United net from eight yards 0-1

29 mins Reijnders made an unchecked run from his own half down the left channel, reaching the left hand corner of the United box with a trio of visiting players clustered round him. Slipping a pass to Semenyo on the outside, the winger slung a ball across the six yard box that Ramsdale missed but Kieran Trippier reached towards the far post.

Although managing not to propel the ball into his own net, the Newcastle full back succeeded only in hoofing it vertically, dropping nicely for Marmoush to nod in from point-blank range, Trippier making a vain attempt to regain his footing.

The goal was given after a brief pause for a VAR check, confirming that Trippier had played Semenyo onside earlier in the move.  0-2

32 mins Another Reijnders break from almost in the left back position saw the former AC Milan team mate of Thiaw motor away from Ramsey and play a simple ball out to his right as he reached the Newcastle box.

That brought Semenyo into the move and although his attempt at jinking infield to create a shooting opportunity was foiled by the toe of Burn, the loose ball was calmly potted home first-time by Reijnders from 12 yards out

TV cameras caught coach Graham Jones on the United bench exclaiming, "f*ck me" 0-3

Half time: City 3 United 0

62 mins Sandro Tonalitook the ball off the toes of Marmoush in a central position just outside the City area and played it to Trippier towards Newcastle's right flank.

He switched it to the overlapping Anthony Elanga, who initiated a run towards the corner flag before turning and swapping passes with Thiaw. Charting a course between Reijnders and Rayan Ait-Nouri, the Swede tied Nico O'Reilly in a knot before steering a low left-footer beyond James Trafford and into the far side of the goal at the South End.   1-3

Full time: City 3 United 1

Eddie Howe said:

"The goals were strange. They were not necessarily coming from pressure, but from individual mistakes and errors. Following on from Liverpool, it is a worrying trend.

"We were craving that first goal and when Manchester City get it you know our task becomes even more difficult. If you add up all our opportunities over the two ties, there was a lot of missed opportunities which has really cost us.

"I was really annoyed with the first-half display because I think we pride ourselves on being really organised and tactically we want to be able to hand 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 defend 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.

"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. Last year we went to several grounds and went into the games really believing that we could win. The only way you build that is by winning, so we need to try and get that feeling back. The team has been knocked in recent weeks, there's no denying that.

"As I said, we've lost some big players, and with that you lose a little bit of confidence.

"It's funny, the last two games, if you look at it and actually really analyse the games, which I know you guys do, you'd go, we haven't been outplayed throughout the games, we've been in the games.

"We haven't defended well enough and we haven't taken a lot of the chances that we've created.

"So we still believe that we're a good team, we just need to protect confidence levels at all costs, that's my first thought."

On Anthony Gordon:

"It looks like a hamstring problem. I don’t quite know how bad it is but it was enough for him to come off so that’s a big worry.”

Pep Guardiola said: 

"With Newcastle you can never control it completely.

"We had the right players and the rhythm was right in the first half. They are a Champions League team and top class players, they always make an intense game. The guys were really good. 5-1 is unbelievable against the last champions of the Carabao Cup."

On having to go to Wembley and play a London team in the final:

“We’re going to travel to London, they will wait for us there. All the time we have to travel. Never (do the opposition) travel to the North of England (for a final).

"Ten years, five times in Carabao Cup final, it is really good. It’s a pleasure to play against Arsenal, the best team right now in Europe, maybe the world for many things; stats, consistency, many details they control. As much as we play against them, it’ll make us better.”

On learning that Marc Guehi is ineligible to play in the final:

"Hopefully in March, we can arrive with the players fit and hopefully you can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc Guehi can play in the final because it's difficult to understand that the club who make a big investment to pay one player who belongs to us and I don't understand why he cannot play the final.

"So hopefully we write a letter and hopefully the Carabao Cup can understand. He's not able to play for a rule that I don't understand why. Hopefully, they can change it."

On two goal Omar Marmoush:

"He gives us his special qualities. His movements are really top.”

On goalkeeper James Trafford:

"James was unbelievable. He is going to play in the first Carabao Cup final for him.”

On his post-match, on-pitch conversation with Sandro Tonali:

"What did I say? My Italian is perfect, so that's why I can communicate with him. And we have an incredible friend in common from Brescia, Edoardo Piovani+

"And every time we are connected, I know his father some time ago and all the time we met we talked about his experience in Milan, the supporters, and how happy he is in Newcastle.

"He's a really, really top player, top, top, top player!"

+ current general manager of phoenix club Union Brescia, founded in succession to Brescia Calcio - where both Tonali and Guardiola played while Piovani was in post.