Manchester City 3, Plymouth Argyle 1 (FA Cup 5th Round)
Manchester City qualified for the Quarter Finals of the FA Cup after Nico O’Reilly’s double header and Kevin De Bruyne’s late strike overhauled a shock Pilgrims lead.
It took until 18 minutes for City’s patient approach against Plymouth to pay off with an Ilkay Gundogan header that Conor Hazard saved low to his left.
City had been trying to make set pieces pay without success before then but it was Plymouth who took the lead through a corner unnecessarily given away by Vitor Reis.
Maksym Talovyerov’s header put the visitors into a shock lead after he slipped James McAtee and headed home Matthew Sorinola’s corner after 38 minutes.
City were in first half injury time when they won their own free kick and Kevin De Bruyne’s set piece found Nico O’Reilly and the makeshift left back headed the ball home after Conor Hazard got a hand to it but couldn’t keep the ball out of the Plymouth goal.
Ilkay Gundogan had created several chances by then and City took control of the second half but aside from some flashes of inspiration from City’s veterans the Pilgrims held on throughout the onslaught with Conor Hazard saving them from a couple of De Bruyne efforts.
Haaland and Bernardo Silva were denied by last ditch defending as City made the final push but the Pilgrims could not keep out the resulting corner when Phil Foden’s corner was headed home at the back post by O’Reilly.
And City finally made the game safe in the 90th minute when a long ball released Erling Haaland for a one on one chance which Conor Hazard saved but he couldn’t hold on to the rebound while Haaland gathered and squared to the De Bruyne – the Belgian couldn’t miss from 4 yards.
Embed from Getty ImagesPLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 3, Plymouth Argyle 1 (FA Cup 5th Round)
Stefan Ortega: 6. Precious little to do most of the time.
Rico Lewis: 6. Spent most of his time inverted into midfield. Volleyed a chance over the bar in the second half and blazed over again not long after that.
Vitor Reis: 7. Calm distribution from the back. Good clearances got a cheer from the crowd but needlessly gave away the corner from which Plymouth scored. Shrugged the setback off to go on to have an assured game. He had a header which went wide from a City corner.
Nathan Ake: 6. Little to trouble him but did clear a loose ball as Plymouth rarely threatened. Had to come off at the end of the first half in another injury blow
Nico O’Reilly: 8. Played in unfamiliar left back role. Got on the end of a Kevin De Bruyne free kick to head home the equaliser before heading home Phil Foden’s corner to put City into the lead.
Ilkay Gundogan: 8. Headed a corner over the bar and tested Conor hazard with a header. Interception in midfield to start a counter attack. Hit the post and ping the ball around freely.
Bernardo Silva: 7. Started on the right flank and tried to make things happen. Had a miscued shot saved after getting on the end of Ilkay Gundogan’s cutback but used his experience to lock up his side of the pitch.
James McAtee: 6. Long range efforts only. Tried to win a penalty but another disappointing game after getting a rare chance.
Kevin De Bruyne: 8. Still producing magic in pockets. Didn’t really threaten Plymouth until a shot got saved by Conor Hazard. Then he produced the free kick that Nico O’Reilly converted. Unexpected shot from wide on the left was punched away by Hazard. Gifted a last minute tap in by Erling Haaland to put the icing on the cake.
Jack Grealish: 7. Couple of early shots blocked. Not too effective from the left flank. Improved in second half.
Phil Foden: 8. Stationed at false 9. Dragged a shot wide from a short corner. Denied by a last ditch tackle by Nikola Katic as he tried to break through clear on goal. Curling shot went wide in the second half after he went deeper following the introduction of Erling Haaland and supplied Nico O’Reilly’s second goal with a late corner.
Ruben Dias (on for Nathan Ake, 46): 6. Slotted in at centre back.
Erling Haaland (on for James McAtee, 59): 6. Went close with shot that just went over the bar and then when his last minute shot was saved he squared the rebound to De Bruyne who made sure.
Nico Gonzalez (on for Phil Foden, 84): No time to mark.
GOALS – Manchester City 3, Plymouth Argyle 1 (FA Cup 5th Round)
Man City 0, Plymouth Argyle 1: 38. Header by Maksym Talovyerov puts Plymouth Argyle into the lead as he meets Matthew Sorinola’s corner with a firm header having slipped away from James McAtee.
Man City 1, Plymouth Argyle 1: 45+1. Nico O’Reilly’s header from Kevin De Bruyne’s free kick levels it in first half injury time – Conor Hazard got a hand to it but wasn’t strong enough to keep the effort out.
Man City 2, Plymouth Argyle 1: 76. Nico O’Reilly headed home at the back post after Phil Foden’s corner picked him out unmarked.
Man City 3, Plymouth Argyle 1: 90. Kevin De Bruyne finished off a counter attack after Conor Hazard couldn’t hold on to Erling Haaland’s initial shot – the Norwegian squared the rebound to the Belgian who tapped home from 4 yards out to make the game safe.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 3, Plymouth Argyle 1 (FA Cup 5th Round)
Man City: Ortega, Lewis, Reis, Ake (Dias 46), O’Reilly, Gundogan, Silva, McAtee (Haaland 59), De Bruyne, Grealish, Foden (Nico, 83)
Man City Subs not used: Ederson, Marmoush, Doku, Gvardiol, Savinho, Nunes
Goals: O’Reilly 45+1, 76; De Bruyne 90
Plymouth Argyle: Hazard, Talovierov, Pleguezuelo, Katic, Mumba (Al Hajj 64), Gyabi (Houghton 64), Boateng, Ogbeta (Puchacz 71), Sorinola (Szucs 80), Callum Wright, Bundu (Baidoo 64)
Plymouth Argyle Subs not used: Grimshaw, Edwards, Roberts, Palsson
Goal: Talovyerov 38
Referee: Craig Pawson