England: Defending champions Manchester City reached the English FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday after goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling secured a comfortable 2-0 win at Newcastle.
After their midweek defeat at Chelsea, a result that confirmed Liverpool as Premier League champions, Guardiola’s side were fired-up at an empty St James’ Park.
Twenty-five minutes into the tie, Newcastle had completed only 15 passes and were camped inside their own penalty area as City toyed with them.
City’s domination of the first half was absolute and the only surprise was it took a penalty for them to lead at halftime, De Bruyne slotting home in the 37th minute.
Newcastle did improve marginally after the break and Dwight Gayle somehow missed a great chance to equalise midway through the second half, blazing Allan Saint-Maximin’s pinpoint cross over from close range.
It was a rare opportunity for Steve Bruce's side and a costly miss as Sterling scored moments later, curling a shot in from the edge of the penalty area.
All four of this year’s Cup quarter-finals, all played behind closed doors, were won by the away team -- the first time that has happened since 1987.
City will meet Arsenal in the last four with Chelsea taking on Manchester United in the other semi-final. Both games will be held behind closed doors at Wembley on July 18-19.
“We are in the semi-finals. It was not easy to attack against a team defending so deep but it was a good performance. I am happy to go back to London, to Wembley,” City manager Pep Guardiola told reporters.
City may have lost their English crown, but having already bagged the League Cup and still in the Champions League they could still end the most strange of seasons with three cups.
