Raheem Sterling scores twice as Man City say fitting farewell to Arsenal-bound No2 Mikel Arteta
CAPTAIN fantastic Raheem Sterling ensured Manchester City said a fitting farewell to Arsenal bound Mikel Arteta.
The Spanish assistant boss was alongside Pep Guardiola for what could well be the final time as his assistant.
His old club may be bungling their efforts to appoint him – but he is expected to return to the Emirates in the coming days.
And skipper for the night Sterling scored two tap-ins to settle any nerves for the holders and make sure he bowed out in typical fashion – with a win.
The City fans sing ‘there’s nobody better than Pep and Arteta’ and that has been the case for much of their three-and-a-half years together.
He will be missed by the first team and by Guardiola once Arsenal finally get their act together and stump up the £2 million in compensation.
There were emotional scenes at the Kassam Stadium before the game as Oxford paid their respects to legendary former boss Jim Smith.
The ‘Bald Eagle’ was described as the most iconic figure in the club’s history and City ambassador Mike Summerbee laid a wreath at one end of the ground.
Karl Robinson and his side were determined to pay a fitting tribute to Smith and came into the game in decent shape.
Their defeat at Milton Keynes at the weekend was a first in 19 games and they sit on the cusp of the play-offs in League One.
The two teams met in the competition last year with Robinson admitting his team struggled to get the ball at times.
Yet they made an encouraging start here before City finally found their feet in the filthy conditions.
Rob Dickie had to clear from under his own cross bar after some great work by RIyad Mahrez.
At the other end Tariqe Fosu saw a shot hoofed clear by Eric Garcia who made up an inexperienced centre back pairing with Taylor Harwood Bellis.
Midway through the first half the visitors – who have won the Carabao Cup back to back took the lead.
Some neat build up play from the back ended with Phil Foden laying the ball out to Joao Cancelo on the right.
The Portuguese full-back’s shot took a deflection and looped into the far corner for his first goal for City.
The £60 million man has taken time to adapt since his £60 million move from Juventus in August but moments like this should help.
You could say the same about Mahrez and the Algerian jinked his way into the box leaving Josh Ruffels standing but fired his shot into the side-netting.
Guardiola and Arteta would have been happy enough at the break but the home team were by no means out of it.
And amazingly just 21 seconds after the re-start they were level as a quickly taken free-kick found Matty Taylor down the right.
He turned neatly – nutmegging Garcia - before firing a left-footed effort low past Claudio Bravo to send the home fans wild.
Taylor’s last four goals in this competition have all come against Premier League opposition – this one will be the most special of all.
An upset looked like it could be on the cards at that point.
It was October 2016 last time Pep Guardiola’s men lost in this competition – and the club has won it four times since 2014.
And they showed their pedigree again as just four minutes later the visitors were back in front.
Angelino whipped in a delicious low cross from the left and Sterling – playing as a makeshift centre forward – could hardly miss.
That makes it 21 goals for club and country for the stand-in skipper this season.
To Oxford’s credit, they didn’t lie down though and threw everything forward in search of an equaliser.
Bravo had to come to the rescue for the visitors – tipping over a cross shot from Fosu.
Guardiola threw on Ilkay Gundogan – a sign that he felt his team needed to reclaim some control in the game.
The tie was very much in the balance but with the home side committed to finding an equaliser there were always going to be gaps at the back.
A pass from Bernardo Silva sent sub Gabriel Jesus away down the left and he pulled back for Sterling to tap in from close range.
That’s 18 now for City this season for the former Liverpool forward – although he won’t get many easier than these two.
Oxford were not for giving up but they left gaps at the back with Cancelo almost adding another when his low shot struck the post.
MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
The name of Jamie Mackie still sends a shiver down the spine of City fans – he scored for QPR on their nerve shredding final day at the Etihad in 2012.
But the second half sub blazed a late shot over while Mark Sykes forced a smart save out of Bravo.
Oxford bowed out – but they had certainly given the champions a big scare.
The Bald Eagle would have been proud of them.