Manchester clubs kept apart in League Cup semi draw

Manchester City will play West Ham and Sunderland face Manchester United for a place in the League Cup final.

The semi-final draw took place on Wednesday after four-time winners Manchester United and twice runners-up West Ham beat Stoke City and Tottenham away respectively earlier in the evening to put themselves within 180 minutes of a Wembley appearance on March 2.

Sunderland defeated Chelsea 2-1 in extra time on Tuesday to progress to the last four, with Manchester City 3-1 victors at Leicester City on the same night.

The first-leg encounters will be played in the week commencing January 6 before the return games a fortnight later.

City, who won the competition in 1970 and 1976, will be at home in the first leg against Sam Allardyce’s side, with Manuel Pellegrini’s charges having scored 87 goals in 27 games at the Etihad this calendar year.

West Ham, who last reached the final in 1981, booked their place in the last four with their second victory at White Hart Lane this season, as goals from Matt Jarvis and Modibo Maiga saw the London club come from a goal behind to win 2-1.

Manchester United will go in search of a fifth League Cup crown, while Gus Poyet’s Sunderland, who are bottom of the Premier League, eye their first.