Man City 3 Liverpool 2 LIVE REACTION: City secure their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after a thrilling five-goal encounter

City fears no one in a tie

After Man City unseated first Chelsea and now Liverpool, there’s no one to fear in the EFL Cup quarter-final draw.

Here are the numbers to look out for:

1 Charlton Athletic

2 Leicester City

3 Manchester United

4 Newcastle United

5 Nottingham Forest

6 Southampton

7 Wolverhampton Walkers

8Manchester City

The draw will start shortly and you can follow it at the link above.

Santa arrives in Manchester early

In Germany, Santa Claus does not come down the chimney, but is an angled figure who arrives on Christmas Eve and gives people presents.

His Liverpool team must have messed up his schedules as they continue to give gifts to their opponents week in and week out.

It costs them points and, most importantly, victories.

This is not an overnight problem and has been evident all season, but time is running out to address this issue.

Pep to pick the holes

You don’t become a manager with Guardiola’s record without analyzing both his wins and losses.

While he will like the result, it will worry him how many times Liverpool have faced them in a rather one-sided game.

The amount of missed chances will also worry him, Brentford showed what happens when you take your chances against Man City.

The Spaniard still has work to do if he has any aspirations to take his protege to the top of the Premier League table.

Belgian treats at Christmas time

Kevin De Bruyne put on a performance that would amaze any football fan.

The quality of his passport delivery that evening was nothing short of world class.

If anything, he was often let down by the quality of the person at the end of the pass.

People asked if, like the rest of his international teammates, he was now a jaded force.

What a way to answer your critics in 90 minutes of football.

FT: Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

With Oasis blaring from the stadium speakers, City are in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.

Quarterfinal draw starts in 30 minutes.

You can watch the draw live at the link above.

Surely the football romantic wants to see a Manchester derby?

FT: Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

The referee ends the game.

Liverpool, the current holders, have been eliminated from the EFL Cup.

City go into the next round with a trophy they came to love during the Pep Guardiola era.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

90+3. This result gives City some confidence for their return to the Premier League.

The Catch Arsenal project resumes just after Christmas.

Jurgen Klopp will be looking for a different result than his first XI when he is back in the league.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

90+1 Quite rightly, Kevin De Bruyne wins the Man of the Match award.

By far the best player on the pitch today.

City still want to attack despite the one-goal lead.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

89. It’s tough for both sides to be eliminated so early in the competition.

The defending champions are beaten by the team that has won this trophy four years in a row.

If they want to defend their crown, they have to find a moment of magic somewhere.

We have four minutes of stoppage time.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

87. City deserved to win today.

Liverpool could easily have turned it into a defeat if they had been more sober in front of goal.

Overall, Man City have dominated the ball and the chances.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

85. The ball goes to De Bruyne, who tries to turn one in.

His shot smashed Kelleher, but Fabinho blocked the ball on the line.

Foden follows with a good effort but the Liverpool keeper makes a good save to his right.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

83. Oxlade-Chamberlain breaks out of defense and strides forward into the Man City half.

A heavy touch gives the defender a 50/50 chance and the Liverpool man never won that one.

City are trying to manage the game now, playing around and frustrating Liverpool.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

81. City attacks again and flank finds Rodri running towards it.

He meets up with Kelleher and the referee gives the keeper a free kick.

We are now in the last ten minutes and Jürgen Klopp is running out of time.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

79. Now everything starts as Rodri throws Fabinho to the ground.

It was a tough tackle from the Brazilian but not as bad as Rodri made out with his actions.

Both players rightly get the yellow card and we continue.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

77. I wonder if any part of Jack Grealish’s subconscious knew that by the time he got to City he’d be spending more time on benches than a homeless person.

Has a chance to try and impress here.

Liverpool need to come to City so the attacker should have plenty of space to use.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

75. If you look at the odds today Darwin Nunez could have scored a hat trick.

Then Nathan Ake could have it too.

Imagine the outcome this game could have been, a celebration of football.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

73. Grealish and Foden come on for City.

Not what every team really wants to see, but Haaland and Palmer are picked up for them.

That woke up the home fans a bit.

Darwin Nunez misses another good chance for Liverpool as he sweeps the ball past the far post.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

71. Naby Keita comes on for Liverpool.

He owes them a shift or two.

For Keita, it was a career stop during his time at Anfield.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

69. Liverpool come forward and Oxlade-Chamberlain breaks into the box and goes down.

It looks like the Liverpool native tried to buy one there.

Minimal contact that caused the ex-Arsenal man to go to the ground as if he had been sniped.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

67. Man City’s track tops are getting wilder and wilder.

When Grealish pulls one off to announce his impending introduction.

I wonder if all those training tops will eventually all be sewn together when Pep Guardiola reveals himself as the tops that together make the world’s greatest Banksy painting.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

65. Liverpool starts hitting the ball around.

City keeps her shape and almost invites her to come on her.

The ball breaks off the back post to Robertson.

He hits it with the volley and shows why he’s not considered an attacking player when it comes to goals.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

63. Liverpool’s only way to stop De Bruyne could be by making tough challenges so Pep get him out now.

The Belgian midfielder was without a doubt the man of the match.

Performances like these show why he is rightly regarded as one of the finest to grace this league.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

61. John Stones arrives for Man City.

Liverpool now need to find a way back into this game.

Klopp will be disappointed that one of his substitutes, Jordan Henderson, didn’t respond quickly enough to the short corner.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool

59. What a delivery from De Bruyne.

He could place a ball on any rock of your choice on Mars with his right foot.

Liverpool are sleeping at a set piece again but City are taking full advantage.

Goal – Nathan Ake (Man City)