Manchester City vs. Everton: Winners and Losers from Capital One Cup
Manchester City advanced to the Capital One Cup final following a 3-1 victory over Everton on Wednesday night in the second leg at the Etihad.
The Toffees won the first leg 2-1 three weeks ago at Goodison Park and took the lead on the night as Ross Barkley fired in the game's first goal in the 18th minute. But Fernandinho pulled City level six minutes later, and the hosts added two more goals in the second half to seal progression.
The equalizer came with controversy, however, as the ball appeared to roll over the byline before Raheem Sterling pulled back for goalscorer Kevin De Bruyne in the 70th minute. Sergio Aguero headed in the winner six minutes later following a cross from De Bruyne, who left the pitch late in the second half with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.
Man City will play Liverpool in the final, which is scheduled for Feb. 28 at Wembley.
Here, Bleacher Report selects winners and losers from the match.
Winner: Kevin De Bruyne
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Kevin De Bruyne's first involvement in the match, after entering as a 66th-minute substitute, was being flagged for offside. After that, however, he changed the game.
In the 70th minute, De Bruyne applied the final touch to pull City level after Raheem Sterling pulled back (controversially, it should be noted) from the byline on the left. Six minutes later, he chased down a cleared corner and crossed to Sergio Aguero, who headed in the winner past Joel Robles.
As noted by Opta Joe, De Bruyne has made a huge impact on the Capital One Cup this season, scoring a total of five goals, including at least one strike in each round.
The Belgian's big night ended unhappily as he left the pitch on a stretcher following a challenge with Ramiro Funes Mori. Replays suggested De Bruyne's knee had buckled, and unfortunately it looked as if the injury might be quite serious.
If so, that would be a bitter loss for City, who reaped the benefits of De Bruyne's game-changing potential on Wednesday night.
Loser: A Missed Call
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Manchester City were irrepressible in the second half, and their superior attacking quality proved decisive in the end. Though Everton were excellent on the counter in the first half, the hosts created more than enough chances to deserve their victory and might have won by more goals if not for hitting the woodwork once in each half.
And yet, one of their goals shouldn't have counted.
In the 70th minute, Raheem Sterling steamed down the left in an effort to reach the ball before it crossed the line. As replays showed, he was unsuccessful, but referee Martin Atkinson allowed his cutback to reach Kevin De Bruyne, who fired in the tying goal. For a good look at the ball going over the line, see this tweet from EatMyGoal.tv.
Man City fans will point to a penalty decision that went against their side in the first leg, or perhaps a foul that Atkinson failed to spot in the buildup to Everton's goal. Their arguments might have merit, but two wrongs don't make a right. De Bruyne's goal shouldn't have stood.
"Everyone that has seen the replay can clearly see the ball is out of play," Everton manager Roberto Martinez told BBC Sport. "The tie was a real good football game. You don’t expect to concede a goal in that manner. It's very, very hard to take."
Not to make light of Martinez's misery, but it's also hard to see why goal-line technology couldn't eliminate this sort of controversy. The system already in place does a brilliant job of showing definitively whether the ball has or hasn't crossed over the goal line and into the goal. So why can't it do the same along the entire byline, and even the touchlines?
Winner: Sergio Aguero
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Sergio Aguero scored the winner with a beautifully taken header, glancing the ball into the bottom corner with precision and pace. For a man of modest height, the Argentina international is capable of putting an impressive amount of power on the ball when he heads it, and his aerial prowess was critical for Man City on this night.
Aguero might have had another goal, but his thumping, long-distance drive in the 36th minute cannoned off the upright. No matter, though. After returning from injury, Aguero is once again hitting his stride, and that's terrifying news for defenders.
Loser: Nicolas Otamendi
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Everton took the lead in the 18th minute following a stunning solo effort by Ross Barkley. After picking up possession near the halfway line, Barkley shrugged off Nicolas Otamendi's challenge, drove toward the edge of the box and stroked a low shot into the bottom corner past Willy Caballero.
In fairness to Barkley, it was a brilliant individual contribution. But Otamendi let himself and his team down with poor positioning and reckless defending. By coming to challenge Barkley so high up, Otamendi left a gaping hole in City's back line, as illustrated by this tweet from SB Nation Soccer.
Otamendi experienced another rush of blood to the head late in the match, giving Everton a dangerous free-kick opportunity after scything down Arouna Kone near the edge of the box in the 85th minute. The free kick came to nothing, but it was another poorly thought-out challenge from the Argentine.
"Otamendi's recklessness becoming a huge concern," Rob Pollard tweeted after Everton's goal.
On another night, that recklessness might have sent City out of the competition.
Winner: Fernandinho
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De Bruyne and Aguero will dominate the headlines, but Fernandinho scored a goal of his own (a deflected strike, it should be noted) and turned in an excellent performance in midfield.
The Brazilian covered seemingly every millimeter of grass at the Etihad and was a major contributor at both ends of the pitch. His passing was superb, and the goal represented a deserved reward for an impressive shift.
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