League Cup: Man City, Chelsea reach League Cup round four

Manchester City's English midfielder Frank Lampard runs with the ball during the English League Cup third round football match between Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester. Pic/AFP

London: Holders Manchester City smashed Sheffield Wednesday 7-0 and Chelsea edged Bolton Wanderers 2-1 as both teams overcame Championship opposition to reach the League Cup fourth round on Wednesday. Frank Lampard and Edin Dzeko each scored twice as City strolled to victory with seven second-half goals at the Etihad Stadium, setting up a home game with Newcastle United.


Manchester City's English midfielder Frank Lampard runs with the ball during the English League Cup third round football match between Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday at The Etihad Stadium in Manchester. Pic/AFP

Lampard broke the deadlock in the 47th minute, tapping home a low cross from James Milner at the near post to score his second goal in two games following Sunday's equaliser against his former club Chelsea. Dzeko turned in a Jesus Navas cross in the 53rd minute and Navas made it 3-0 with a jinking run and fierce shot a minute later.

Yaya Toure added a fourth from the penalty spot on the hour after Kamil Zayatte had been sent off for tripping Lampard, before late goals from Dzeko, substitute Jose Pozo and Lampard completed the rout. "I really enjoyed that because tonight we saw the team that we were used to seeing last year," said City manager Manuel Pellegrini. "It is important to try to retain the trophy, but the most important thing tonight was to play like we did."

Chelsea gave a first appearance of the season to goalkeeper Petr Cech and took a 25th-minute lead against Bolton when debutant Kurt Zouma lashed home after Gary Cahill's header was blocked at a corner. Matt Mills equalised for Bolton six minutes later with a header from a deep free-kick that crept inside Cech's right-hand post, but Oscar gave Chelsea victory in the 55th minute with a low long-range drive.

Chelsea will visit fourth-tier Shrewsbury Town in round four. - Dummett delivers Newcastle - Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur had to come from behind to win 3-1 at home to Nottingham Forest. Championship leaders Forest made a bright start, hitting the bar through Ben Osborn's curler, and took the lead in the 61st minute when 19-year-old Jorge Grant tucked in a Lars Veldwijk cross.

But substitute Ryan Mason drew Spurs level with a 25-yard shot in the 72nd minute and late goals from Roberto Soldado and Harry Kane sent Mauricio Pochettino's side through. "We expected a good game, because Nottingham were unbeaten until tonight," Spurs manager Pochettino told Sky Sports. "It's great for the players and the team, and for the supporters, who encouraged us after we went 1-0 down."

Spurs will now host second-tier Brighton and Hove Albion, who won 3-0 at fourth-division Burton Albion. Paul Dummett scored an extra-time winner as Alan Pardew's Newcastle, who are without a win in the league this season, claimed a much-needed 3-2 victory at Crystal Palace. Emmanuel Riviere's first two Newcastle goals put the visitors 2-1 up after Dwight Gayle had given Palace the lead with a penalty, only for home debutant Sullay Kaikai to scramble home a 92nd-minute equaliser.

Newcastle then had Mehdi Abeid sent off after he collected a second yellow card, but Wales full-back Dummett's diving header with eight minutes of extra time remaining secured a fourth-round date with City. In the night's other all-Premier League tie, West Bromwich Albion produced a stunning late rally to beat Hull City 3-2 and set up a trip to Championship outfit Bournemouth. Goals from Tom Ince and Robbie Brady put Hull 2-1 up after Brown Ideye had given the hosts a 15th-minute lead, but Gareth McAuley equalised in the 87th minute before Saido Berahino grabbed the winner a minute later.

Arsenal were dumped out of the competition after losing 2-1 at home to Southampton on Tuesday, while Liverpool edged second-tier Middlesbrough 14-13 in a remarkable penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw at Anfield. Southampton will visit Stoke City in the next round and Liverpool will tackle Swansea City, who beat their Merseyside rivals Everton 3-0 on Tuesday.