Swansea vs Manchester City match report: Pep Guardiola's men light up the Liberty Stadium with League Cup victory
Swansea 1 Manchester City 2: The visitors' winning ways continue
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Your support makes all the difference.Manchester City booked their place in the fourth round of the EFL Cup courtesy of goals from Gael Clichy and Aleix Garcia.
Clichy opened the scoring, four minutes into the second half, with only his second goal in six years for the club, before Garcia made sure, 23 minutes from time, with his first in City colours.
As expected, Pep Guardiola retained only two of the side that started against Bournemouth at the weekend. However, wearing a bright orange and purple kit that helped to light up the Liberty Stadium, the visitors began at a decent lick.
With Vincent Kompany back in the starting line up for the first time since the Champions League semi final against Real Madrid in May, City set about their task with a real purpose.
They used Jesus Navas and Leroy Sane on opposite wings and switched the pair on two separate occasions inside half an hour in a bid to unlock a Swansea defence that included their summer signing Mike van der Hoorn.
Having weathered the early storm, Francesco Guidolin's side were presented with a golden opportunity to take the lead, in the 15th minute.
Having controlled a gentle back pass from John Stones, goalkeeper Willy Caballero passed the ball straight into the path of Swansea's record signing Borga. The £15million striker, who signed from Atletico Madrid in the summer, wasted no time in pulling the trigger, but held his head in his hands as the ball flew into the away fans' enclosure.
As Swansea continued to press, so Kompany came into his own. First, he appeared from nowhere to clear a crisp through ball from Jack Cork and then, eight minutes later, he popped up in the nick of time to avert the danger from Neil Taylor's sharp cross from the left.
City had their moments, but for the large part, appeared to be going through the motions. Angelino Tasende fired wide from a central position and when Aleix Garcia whipped in a cross from the right, Swansea goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt had to be on his toes to prevent van der Hoorn from putting through his own net.
It was Swansea who started the second half with greater purpose – Borja's overhead kick, from Jack Cork's precise cross, sailing wide of Caballero's far post. However, when the home side played their way out of trouble in the 49th minute, the deadlock was finally broken. Sane, Kompany and Clichy swept forward and when Angelino Tasende centred for the advancing Clichy, the 31-year-old Frenchman saw his right footed shot, from 20 yards, strike the calf of Taylor and loop over the helpless Nordfeldt.
The introduction of Leroy Fer gave Swansea's now flagging midfield a much needed lift. The powerful Dutchman certainly made his presence felt, although by now, City were on top and seeking a second.
The sight of Kevin de Bruyne coming on, after an hour, was all that Swansea needed. The Belgian has been in imperious form this season and injected an even greater tempo into a side now playing with renewed confidence. Garcia, from 30 yards, struck a wayward shot into the stand behind the Swansea goal and a Clichy cross was cleared, under pressure, by Jordi Amat.
Guidolin looked a worried man in the Swansea technical zone as he summoned Gylfi Sigurdsson from the bench on the hour. The Icelandic international entered to a rapturous ovation and almost levelled the scores with his very first touch. Stones, under no apparent pressure, decided to carry the ball back into his own box where a heavy touch too many gifted Sigurdsson his chance. Fortunately, for Stones and City, Cabaellero's knees came to the rescue.
The game was up for the Swans as good as over, five minutes later, in the 68th minute. Navas drilled a low centre into the path of 19-year-old Garcia who beat Nordfeldt from 15 yards, on the angle.
Swansea battled, as you might expect, but with goals once again hard to come by, this season, they were never likely to overturn what was a comfortable lead for the visitors.
Sigurdsson bagged a late consolation, after Kompany had walked off to leave City with 10 men, but it was too little too late for Guidolin.
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