Soccer-Sterling double sends City into League Cup semis

Manchester City remained on course to lift the League Cup for a third successive season but were given a stern test by third-tier Oxford United before winning 3-1 in the quarter-finals on Wednesday. Oxford's Matty Taylor scored 22 seconds into the second half to cancel out Joao Cancelo's deflected opener but Raheem Sterling scored two tap-ins to send City through.

City, who made numerous changes from the side who thrashed Arsenal on Sunday, were never able to relax against Carl Robinson's Oxford at noisy Kassam Stadium. Even after Sterling restored their lead in the 50th minute, touching in Angelino's cross, City were put under real pressure with Oxford dominating for a 20-minute spell.

But substitute Gabriel Jesus set up Sterling for his second and City suffered no further alarms.