Man City Player Ratings vs Newcastle: Semenyo Shines as Guardiola’s Men Close in on Wembley

Man City player ratings vs Newcastle underline a composed, ruthless Manchester City performance as Pep Guardiola’s side claimed a crucial 2–0 away victory over Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, putting one foot firmly on the road to Wembley.

The standout once again was Antoine Semenyo, whose blistering start to life at the Etihad continued. The £65 million January signing scored for the second consecutive game, becoming the first City player since Emmanuel Adebayor in 2009 to net in his first two appearances for the club.

While the scoreline suggests comfort, the match itself was far more nuanced, with Newcastle threatening early before City’s class ultimately told.

Tactical Overview: City Weather the Storm

Newcastle United started brightly, pushing City back with intensity and pace. Early chances fell to Yoane Wissa, while the home side struck the woodwork twice shortly after half-time.

However, Manchester City’s composure proved decisive. Once the breakthrough arrived, the visitors controlled possession, slowed the tempo, and punished Newcastle’s tactical gamble.

Eddie Howe’s pre-match frustration over the eligibility of Semenyo—who had previously featured in the competition for Bournemouth—was fully realised as the forward delivered the decisive moment.

How the Goals Came

City struck against the run of play midway through the second half. A rapid counterattack, sparked by Jeremy Doku, saw Semenyo arrive at precisely the right moment to finish clinically.

A second Semenyo goal was later ruled out following a lengthy VAR review, with Erling Haaland adjudged to be interfering with play.

Deep into stoppage time, substitute Rayan Cherki sealed the result, finishing off a surging run from Rayan Ait-Nouri to hand City a commanding advantage heading into the second leg.

Man City Player Ratings vs Newcastle

Goalkeeper & Defence

James Trafford – 7/10
Calm and assured on a rare start. Produced an excellent save to deny Wissa and showed maturity under pressure.

Matheus Nunes – 5/10
Energetic but reckless at times. A booking and repeated fouls saw Guardiola withdraw him early.

Abdukodir Khusanov – 6/10
Handled a physical mismatch well and showed good positional discipline.

Max Alleyne – 7/10
Continues to impress since returning from loan. Looked composed against elite opposition.

Nathan Aké – 6/10
Not always comfortable against Newcastle’s pace, but experience helped him recover.

Midfield

Bernardo Silva – 6/10
Worked tirelessly and played a key role in the build-up to the opening goal, despite a few nervy moments.

Nico O’Reilly – 6/10
Adapted well to an unfamiliar holding role and showed tactical intelligence.

Phil Foden – 5/10
Struggled to find rhythm and influence the game, a rare off-night.

Attack

Antoine Semenyo – 7/10
Not flashy, but devastatingly effective. His movement and finishing continue to justify his transfer fee.

Erling Haaland – 5/10
Isolated for long periods and unlucky to be involved in the disallowed goal decision.

Jeremy Doku – 7/10
Electric on the break. His directness created the opening goal.

Substitutes & Manager

Rodri – 6/10
Stabilised City’s midfield and restored control.

Rico Lewis – 6/10
Neat, tidy, and intelligent in possession.

Tijjani Reijnders – 6/10
Added threat in transition.

Rayan Cherki – 7/10
Missed an early chance but delivered when it mattered most.

Pep Guardiola – 7/10
Managed injuries creatively and executed a pragmatic game plan to perfection.

What It Means Going Forward

This Man City player ratings vs Newcastle analysis reflects a result that places Guardiola’s side firmly in control ahead of the second leg at the Etihad Stadium next month. Newcastle now face a daunting task, while City are perfectly positioned to reach yet another domestic final.

For Antoine Semenyo, the message is clear: Manchester City may have found their next decisive big-game forward.