A late Sergio Aguero goal earned Manchester City a 1-0 win over Arsenal at the Emirates tonight as the Premier League leaders progressed to the Carling Cup semi-finals.

Both sides made ten changes from the weekend and it was replacement keeper Costel Pantilimon who kept City in the game during the first half.

The 24-year-old stopper twice kept the score deadlocked in an opening period consisting of few clear-cut chances.

Park Chu-Young was the first to be denied by the towering Romanian, who tipped the Korean's close range effort around the post.

The lively Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain then tested Pantillimon again with a 35-yard effort but the deputy City stopper tipped the shot over the crossbar.

Roberto Mancini was unhappy with his side's early display and brought on Sergio Aguero with just half an hour played.

Again, the second half presented few opportunities for either side but Aguero justified his introduction by scoring the only goal with ten minutes left.

Adam Johnson broke with the ball before playing a reverse pass into Aguero, who calmly slotted by Lukas Fabianski to send the Citizens into the last four.