Makeshift left back Nico O’Reilly channelled his inner Erling Haaland to lead a Manchester City comeback after they’d been given a major scare by this season’s stand-out FA Cup story, Plymouth Argyle.
Pep Guardiola must have feared his team were going the same way as Liverpool – knocked by Argyle in the fourth round – when pony-tailed Ukranian Maksym Talovierov headed the Championship visitors in front to send eight thousand travelling fans wild.
As City’s big-hitters floundered at The Etihad, it was 19-year-old O’Reilly – a midfielder pressed into duty at the back – who came to the rescue with two headers before Kevin De Bruyne sealed the deal late on.
The teenager’s first, from De Bruyne’s free-kick, ensured City went into the interval level. And with 14 minutes left and a host of chances missed by last season’s finalists, including one by the original Haaland, O’Reilly comprehensively buried a winning header from Phil Foden’s corner.
The Plymouth fans who made the 560-mile round trip from Devon were in fantastic voice at The Etihad..
Next-to-bottom in The Championship, they’ve saved their best performances in the cup with shock wins against Brentford and Liverpool.
Man City exercised their quality in the second-half against Plymouth Argyle to win 3-1
The Championship side took a first-half lead through Maksym Talovierov following a corner
But a brace from Nico O’Reilly overturned the deficit, before Kevin De Bruyne added a third
Guardiola’s decision to make 11 changes and use Phil Foden as a false nine with Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush on the bench raised visitor’s hopes though there was still plenty of class in a City XI skippered by De Bruyne.
Argyle skipper Nikola Katic lost his tooth during his heroic endeavours against Liverpool and his early block on Jack Grealish, and subsequent hollering at team-mates, underlined he was equally pumped up last night.
Predictably, City dominated. Foden curled wide and Argyle goalkeeper Conor Hazard dived left to keep out Ilkay Gundogan, who also headed over from close range.
Loud home appeals for a penalty after the ball struck Plymouth defender Julip Pleguezuelo’s hand fell on deaf ears.
Plymouth have improved since sacking Wayne Rooney on New Year’s Eve. His replacement Miron Muslic – a Bosnian whose family fled to Austria in the 1990s to escape the Balkan conflict – out-pepped Pep in the technical area with energetic hand signals and vocal instructions.
City came close to taking the lead after 28 minutes when Gundogan timed his run into the penalty area and struck the inside post from 12 yards.
But having conceded first to League One Leyton Orient in the fourth round, history repeated itself.
There was a roar from the away end when Plymouth won their first corner after 38 minutes and utter delirium when they took full advantage.
Miron Muslic’s side could not quite replicate their fourth-round heroics against Liverpool
Pep Guardiola’s side continued their bid to make their third FA cup final in a row this season
City’s defence stood like statues as Matthew Sorinola floated to the far post and Talovierov had little difficulty beating Vitor Reis and James McAtee to head past Stefan Ortega.
Talovierov’s parents live in Kyiv and he hasn’t seen them since the Russian invasion three years ago, anxiously messaging whenever the city comes under attack.
City’s fragile confidence required them to get level before half-time and they managed it with seconds to spare.
The trusty right boot of De Bruyne flighted a free-kick into the path of O’Reilly whose header had enough power to take it over line even though Hazard got a hand to it.
It was the second goal of the youngster’s career following one in the third round against Salford. Nobody has been had more FA Cup goal involvements than De Bruyne’s 28 since his first tie for the club in 2016.
City were frustrated at the start of the second half. Hazard got down well to block from Bernardo after more good work from the lively Gundogan. Rico Lewis was well-placed to score from 12 yards but lent back and sent the ball over.
Guardiola turned to Haaland on the hour, the Norwegian replacing McAtee as City reverted to a more orthodox formation.
Plymouth got a let-off when De Bruyne’s cross hit the forearm of Argyle substitute Tymoteusz Puchacz to stop Haaland heading in. And there was more frustration when Hazard denied Haaland at point-blank range and Bernardo sent the rebound wide.
City have not lost at home or away in the FA Cup since 2018 – their only defeats have been at Wembley, most recently to rivals Man United in the final last year
City will learn their quarter-final opponents after Man United’s game against Fulham on Sunday
City’s momentum eventually yielded a deserved second goal with O’Reilly the unlikely scorer again when he kept his eyes on Foden’s corner all the way.
Just to show the big guns haven’t lost it, Haaland and De Bruyne combined at the end to seal City’s win at the end, the striker assisting for once as the Belgian slid in to convert from close range.
City are therefore in the quarter-finals of the only competition they can win this season. But all the noise at full-time came from up in the Gods at the Etihad. Plymouth’s cup exploits won’t be forgotten.
