Man City vs Newcastle LIVE: FA Cup result and reaction after Bernardo Silva hits double
Pep Guardiola’s side cruised to victory thanks to Silva’s brace at the Etihad Stadium
Holders Manchester City cruised into the semi-finals of the FA Cup thanks to two deflected strikes from Bernardo Silva that gave them a 2-0 win over a lacklustre Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
City made five changes from the side that started last weekend's 1-1 Premier League draw with Liverpool and still managed to make the semi-finals of the competition for the sixth season in a row as Newcastle provided little resistance. City took the lead in the 13th minute when a Silva shot took a wicked deflection off Newcastle defender Dan Burn, wrong-footing keeper Martin Dubravka and sending the ball looping into the net.
The home side went 2-0 up in the 31st minute and again it was Portuguese playmaker Silva cutting in from the right and shooting, with Sven Botman's head helping to steer the ball past Dubravka this time. Alexander Isak almost pulled a goal back in the 36th minute but Stefan Ortega got down brilliantly to his left to keep the Swedish striker's bouncing shot out. It proved to be Newcastle's only effort on goal in the game.
Just after the hour mark, Eddie Howe lost patience with his stuttering side and made four substitutions and though the introduction of Miguel Almiron gave the visitors a much-needed injection of creativity in their attack, the home side quickly re-adjusted. Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku both had a number of chances to score but manager Pep Guardiola will not be too bothered by their profligacy in front of goal as his side outclassed the visitors from start to finish.
Follow all the reaction from Manchester City vs Newcastle in the FA Cup quarter-finals below, and get the latest match odds and FA Cup tips here.
Man City 1-0 Newcastle
21 mins: Promising from Newcastle. Guimaraes has it on the edge of the box, and he plays a ball to Murphy on the right. His cross is deflected behind for a corner, but it comes to nothing after a foul in the box.
Man City 1-0 Newcastle
20 mins: Some lovely play in midfield gives Newcastle a quick break, and Anthony Gordon surges forward into the box. He plays in Joe Willock, but the Englishman’s attempted backheel comes off himself and out for a City goal kick.
Man City 1-0 Newcastle
17 mins: First booking of the day for Fabian Schar after he followed through on Haaland. That’s harsh, and if Newcastle do go through, he’ll miss the semi-final.
Man City 1-0 Newcastle
15 mins: Newcastle have to hang in there and hope to weather this City storm. Murphy launches a long ball towards Isak and Ortega clears, but it only falls to a Newcastle player again. The cross is sent in, but Ortega manages to clear again.
GOAL! Man City 1-0 Newcastle
12 mins: GOAL! And it’s a harsh one on Newcastle. Rodri has the ball centrally, and he passes across to Bernardo Silva. The Portuguese drives into the box and hits a shot, which deflects off Dan Burn and loops into the far corner.
Man City 0-0 Newcastle
12 mins: Unsurprisingly, City are having more possession, but nothing is hurting Newcastle yet.
Doku is popping up in the centre fairly regularly, but it’s leaving Gvardiol and Kovacic with all the attacking to do down the left.
Man City 0-0 Newcastle
9 mins: Wasteful from Doku. City break and have a three-v-two, and the Belgian has Foden to his right and Haaland to his left. He opts to try and send Foden through, but it’s intercepted well by Botman.
Newcastle go on the counter and try and take advantage of the City high line, but the pass is wayward.
Man City 0-0 Newcastle
7 mins: City’s turn to threaten as Haaland bursts into the box, but his cross is behind Foden. Gvardiol collects and recycles it to Rodri, but the Spaniard’s pass turns to nothing.
A minute later, Foden slips a ball in-behind to Doku, but Murphy covers well.
Man City 0-0 Newcastle
5 mins: Newcastle’s first foray forward is through a Murphy pass that threatens to send Isak through on goal, but it’s intercepted well.
Man City 0-0 Newcastle
3 mins: It looks like Newcastle are indeed playing a ‘five-at-the-back’, with Murphy at right wing-back.
For City, it looks like Foden is being used down the middle, with Bernardo keeping width. You do wonder if Foden’s long-term future is down the middle, where he often seems so threatening (and covers well for De Bruyne when the Belgian is injured).
No chances so far.
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