Mick backed but slick City tear Wolves apart

MANCHESTER CITY made 11 changes from the team that routed Manchester United 6-1 at the weekend but the goals flowed again last night as they demolished Wolves 5-2 to reach the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup at Molineux.

Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey had earlier given his backing to under-fire manager Mick McCarthy but that proved to have little bearing on the outcome.

McCarthy branded some fans as “mindless idiots” who chanted “you don’t know what you’re doing” and “you’re getting sacked in the morning” towards him during the weekend draw with Swansea.

But Moxey reaffirmed his faith in the former Republic of Ireland boss in the club’s matchday programme.

“We remain well aware of fans’ frustrations and disappointment in the wake of recent results,” he said.

“But we all put our trust in Mick and the players and, over the last five years, they have delivered emphatically.

“So it remains ‘business as usual’ and we continue to look forward with optimism and to build on Saturday’s dramatic comeback.”

Wolves failed to catch fire last night, however, and City showed their tremendous strength in depth after Wolves, amazingly, earned a shock lead through Nenad Milijas after 18 minutes.

However, three goals in four minutes before half-time from Adam Johnson, Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko effectively killed off the tie.

Then Dorus De Vries (own goal) and Dzeko completed City’s nap hand within 19 minutes of the restart and although Jamie O’Hara’s scored in the 65th minute for Wolves, it proved no more than a consolation effort.

McCarthy, though disappointed with the outcome said that his side simply came up against a more clinical side on the night. “I’m certainly not down by the way we played. We’ve had a right good go. I can’t fault us. Generally it’s been us making mistakes, but their first goal was a fabulous finish.

“They are a good team and they punished us. I’ve had some good performances but that was an object lesson in finishing for me.”

Elsewhere, a second-half brace from Luis Suarez sent Liverpool through to the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup after they beat Stoke City 2-1 at the Brittania stadium.

A crowd just short of 25,000 were rewarded with a first half full of chances that ended with Kenwyne Jones heading the opening goal after Jon Walters had robbed Sebastian Coates in possession.

But the night was to belong to Suarez. Nine minutes into the second half the Uruguayan curled an exquisite shot into the corner before, with extra-time looming, heading in the winner five minutes from time.

Stoke were unbeaten at the Britannia Stadium this season, with Liverpool among their victims in the Barclays Premier League in September but there was to be no repeat last night.

In the night’s other games Blackburn Rovers had a dramatic 4-3 win over Newcastle United in a game that required extra-time at Ewood Park — Gael Givet proving the hero on the night with a last gasp winner.

Blackburn went two goals up after goals from Ruben Rochina and Yakubu and they appeared to be cruising to the last eight before, inexplicably collapsing, and conceding twice in injury time with Danny Guthrie and Yohan Cabaye forcing Newcastle level.

Blackburn went ahead again through Morten Gamst Pedersen but Peter Lovenkrands scored a penalty and what looked like the goal to send the tie to penalties before Givet popped up at the death to send Rovers through.

Elsewhere, substitute Daniel Sturridge struck late in extra time as 10-man Chelsea edged out an Everton side who also had a man sent-off at Goodison Park last night.

Chelsea went ahead through Salomon Kalou after a dreadful error by back-up goalkeeper Jan Mucha but were pegged back by Louis Saha after their number two keeper Ross Turnbull was sent off.

Yet Everton wasted numerous chances to win in normal time and, after losing Royston Drenthe in extra time, Sturridge settled the fourth-round tie after 116 minutes.

Celtic booked their place in the semi-finals of the Scottish Communities League Cup after storming back from a goal down at Easter Road to thrash Hibernian 4-1.

An unfortunate own goal by Hoops defender Daniel Majstorovic after four minutes gave the home side the interval lead, but in a second-half turnaround a James Forrest double and goals from Anthony Stokes and Gary Hooper put the Parkhead men in the hat.

Though they went a goal behind, manager Neil Lennon was quick to praise his sides’ second half effort. “We scored four goals in the second half and showed what we can do,” he said. “We played a lot better tonight.