Despite playing just two days after a spirited Premier League match against Arsenal, Manchester City displayed their strength in depth, fielding a heavily rotated team and still securing a comfortable 2-1 victory over second-tier Watford in the English League Cup. Goals from Jeremy Doku in the fifth minute and Matheus Nunes in the 38th secured the win for City at the Etihad Stadium. The third round of the competition continued on Tuesday, with fellow top-flight teams Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Leicester also advancing.
Chelsea ruthlessly dismantled fourth-division Barrow with a resounding 5-0 win. Christopher Nkunku stole the show, scoring a hat-trick and celebrating his third goal by inflating a blue balloon and holding it between his lips. The match saw Chelsea make eleven changes from the team that started their 3-0 victory over West Ham on Saturday. Nkunku’s brace within the first fifteen minutes set the tone for the match, followed by an own goal and a tap-in by Pedro Neto for his first goal for Chelsea. Nkunku completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute.
Aston Villa also secured a 2-1 victory, overcoming third-tier Wycombe. Colombian forward Jhon Durán continued his impressive start to the season, scoring his team’s second goal from the penalty spot in the 85th minute, adding to Emi Buendia’s opener in the 55th. The 20-year-old Duran has now scored four goals in five league matches this season, all off the bench. Wycombe managed a consolation goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Leicester’s victory over fourth-tier Walsall was more hard-fought, with both teams locked in a goalless draw after regulation time. However, Leicester prevailed in the ensuing penalty shootout, converting all three of their penalties, while Walsall missed their first three attempts.
The League Cup’s last 32 matches are spread across two midweeks, accommodating the expanded Champions League and Europa League schedules. Manchester United and Tottenham progressed last week, while Liverpool and Arsenal are scheduled to play their matches on Wednesday.
City manager Pep Guardiola, who won the League Cup four consecutive years with City from 2018, has made it clear that he won’t be prioritizing the competition this season. Instead, he plans to use the matches to provide rhythm for some of his fringe players. “We are not going to waste energy on this competition, for sure,” he stated. Doku was one of only two City players, along with Kyle Walker, to start both the dramatic 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday and the match against Watford. The Belgian winger put City ahead early in the fifth minute, capitalizing on a misplaced back-pass to shoot home from just inside the area. Nunes doubled the lead in the 38th with a low, left-footed shot, marking his first goal for City since joining from Wolverhampton in the offseason of 2023.
Tom Ince, the son of former England midfielder Paul Ince, scored a late consolation goal for Watford in the 86th minute, but it proved too little, too late for the Championship side. The League Cup continues to provide opportunities for players seeking to make their mark and potentially earn more playing time with their respective teams.
