Pep Guardiola dedicated Manchester City's 2-0 win over Manchester United to reach a fourth consecutive League Cup final Wednesday to the family of Colin Bell, a day after the City great died aged 74.
John Stones and Fernandinho were the unlikely goalscorers for Guardiola's men, who will face Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur in the final at Wembley on April 25.
Bell scored 152 goals in 492 appearances for City during a 13-year career in which he won five major trophies.
City players warmed up in No 8 shirts in honor of Bell's old number.
A minute's silence was held before kick-off with Bell's former teammate Mike Summerbee reduced to tears as he watched on from the stands.
City now have the chance to equal Liverpool's record between 1981 and 1984 of winning four successive League Cups.
Jose Mourinho urged Tottenham to kick on after Son Heung-min fired them into the League Cup final with the decisive goal in a 2-0 win against Brentford on Tuesday
Posted by Sports Tribune on Wednesday, 6 January 2021
Mourinho was United boss the last time they lifted a trophy in 2017 and the Red Devils' wait for silverware under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer goes on as they lost a fourth semi-final in the past two seasons.
Solskjaer side’s also lost to City at this stage of the competition last season.
Both sides have hauled themselves back into contention for the Premier League title in recent weeks, but neither manager took the opportunity to rest key players as both made just two changes from the weekend.
Any fears of a repeat of the goalless draw between the sides last month in the league were quickly dispelled as both had goals ruled out inside the first five minutes.
Stones breathed a sigh of relief when his own goal was chalked off for offside by Marcus Rashford in the build-up before Ilkay Gundogan was also denied by the offside flag.
Zack Steffen was deputising for first-choice goalkeeper Ederson, who was one of City's absentees due to a novel coronavirus outbreak, and the American produced an incredible save to deny Bruno Fernandes his 16th goal of the season with a curling effort that was destined for the top corner.
Man City joined Brentford in the semi-finals after the second-tier (Championship) side enjoyed a 1-0 win over Premier League Newcastle United earlier on Tuesday
Posted by Sports Tribune on Tuesday, 22 December 2020
City looked more like their old selves in a thrilling first-half performance to blow away Chelsea Sunday and they were inches away from the opener thanks to a stunning move that started deep inside their own half and ended with Kevin de Bruyne smashing against the post from the edge of the area.
The deadlock was finally broken five minutes into the second half when Stones cushioned in Foden's free-kick with his thigh for his first goal in three years.
The England international's poor form saw him fall down the pecking order in recent seasons, but City have now kept nine clean sheets in the 11 games Stones has started this season as he has formed a formidable partnership with Ruben Dias.
City's issues this season have been at the other end and they again failed to make the most of their chances in the second half.
Joao Cancelo's piledriver flew just over before Dean Henderson made fine saves to deny Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez.
However, Henderson could only watch as Fernandinho volleyed into the bottom corner after United failed to clear a corner for his first goal in two years, seven minutes from time.
