Manchester City secured a 3-1 win over Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup fifth round, booking their spot in the quarter-finals. The match was intense, with Plymouth taking the lead just before halftime through Maksym Talovierov’s expert header from a corner kick. However, Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly equalized just before the break, meeting Kevin De Bruyne’s free-kick with a glancing header.
O’Reilly proved to be the game-changer, scoring his second goal in the 76th minute to give Manchester City the lead. He connected with Phil Foden’s corner at the back post, securing his double and putting his team ahead. Manchester City’s dominance continued, with Kevin De Bruyne adding a third goal in added time, tapping in Erling Haaland’s pass across the six-yard box.
The win marks Manchester City’s seventh consecutive season in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Despite a strong challenge from Plymouth, who had knocked out Liverpool in the previous round, Manchester City’s quality and determination paid off ¹. The match also featured the use of VAR and semi-automated offsides, a first in English football, which will be introduced in the Premier League later this season.
