In a bid to salvage an otherwise underwhelming season, Manchester City aims to secure a trophy through the FA Cup. Their path was reaffirmed as they advanced to the quarterfinals by overcoming Plymouth Argyle with a 3-1 victory on Saturday. Teenager Nico O’Reilly emerged as the hero for City, contributing two vital goals that helped overturn a deficit against the second-division opponents.
As Manchester City triumphed, the day in the FA Cup was marked by dramatic moments across other encounters. Both Crystal Palace and Bournemouth reached the quarterfinals amid memorable incidents including contentious red cards and a tense penalty shootout. The affair between Millwall and Crystal Palace was notably highlighted by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts receiving a red card for a reckless challenge, which resulted in Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta suffering a severe injury requiring 25 stitches.
Adding to the day’s drama, Wolves’ Matheus Cunha faced dismissal in the closing minutes of extra time during their clash with Bournemouth. His red card stemmed from a confrontation which included a headbutt, overshadowing his earlier remarkable equalizer. Ultimately, Bournemouth progressed after edging out Wolves in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s advancement was a more straightforward affair. The team, under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, secured their place in the next round with late goals. O’Reilly capitalized on a corner kick to score the decisive goal in the 75th minute, and star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne added another in the 90th minute after a pivotal setup by substitute Erling Haaland. Reflecting on his performance, O’Reilly expressed pride in scoring for the club he’s always considered home.
Plymouth initially posed a challenge by taking the lead in the 38th minute through Maksym Talovierov. O’Reilly restored parity just before the break by heading in a delivery from De Bruyne, ensuring City avoided another lamentable defeat in a season where they’ve already fallen short in the English League Cup and the Champions League, while also lagging significantly behind Premier League frontrunners Liverpool.
In another gripping matchup, Crystal Palace secured a 3-1 win over 10-man Millwall. The game was marred by an early sending off for Roberts after an egregious attempt to clear the ball resulted in Mateta being stretchered off with a grave head injury. Palace’s chairman described it as one of the most reckless challenges witnessed on the pitch. Crystal Palace capitalized on their numerical advantage, with goals from an own goal by Japhet Tanganga, a tap-in by Daniel Munoz, and a late header by Eddie Nketiah solidifying their progress despite a Millwall response just before halftime.
VAR intervention and penalties featured prominently in the Bournemouth and Wolves encounter. After a 1-1 stalemate, Bournemouth emerged victorious in the shootout. Wolves had an opportunity to claim victory but faltered as penalty attempts went astray. Matt Doherty missed a crucial attempt, as did Boubacar Traore, allowing Luis Sinisterra to convert the winning penalty for Bournemouth. Despite equalizing with a stunning long-range goal, Cunha’s earlier antics removed him as a potential penalty contributor, impacting Wolves’ chances.
Preston’s encounter with Burnley concluded with a 3-0 triumph, overcoming tension from previous accusations of racial abuse involving Preston’s Milutin Osmajic. Burnley players refused the pre-match handshake with Osmajic, who responded by scoring and taunting the away supporters with a cupped-ear gesture. Robbie Brady and Will Keane contributed to Preston’s comprehensive victory with well-taken goals, ensuring their safe passage to the quarterfinals.
These matches collectively illustrated the unpredictable and intense nature of the FA Cup, promising exciting contests as the tournament progresses.
