Man City Crumble in Shock Carabao Cup Exit to SouthamptonMan City Crumble in Shock Carabao Cup Exit to Southampton Manchester City’s Carabao Cup defense came to a crashing end on Wednesday as Southampton pulled off a stunning 2-0 victory at St. Mary’s Stadium. The Premier League champions, who had won the competition six times in the past nine seasons, were outplayed from start to finish by a resolute Saints side. Southampton took the lead in the 23rd minute through Sekou Mara, who pounced on a defensive error from Nathan Ake to fire low into the net. The hosts doubled their advantage just after the hour mark when Moussa Djenepo broke clear and calmly slotted the ball past Stefan Ortega. City, who made several changes to their starting XI, struggled to create clear-cut chances throughout the game. Erling Haaland was kept quiet by the Southampton defense, while Riyad Mahrez squandered a golden opportunity in the second half. Despite the introduction of Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish, City were unable to find their way back into the contest. Southampton defended stoutly and held on for a famous victory that sends them into the semi-finals. The result is a major shock and a blow to City’s hopes of winning a quadruple this season. Manager Pep Guardiola will be disappointed with his team’s display and will have plenty to think about ahead of the second half of the campaign. For Southampton, this win is a major boost and a reward for their impressive form under Nathan Jones. They will now face Newcastle United in the semi-finals, while Manchester United and Nottingham Forest will contest the other semi-final.
