Manchester City avoided a major upset in the FA Cup after a hard-fought 3-1 victory against Plymouth Argyle in the fifth round. Teenager Nico O’Reilly played a key role, scoring twice to help City recover from an early scare at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Plymouth, who are struggling in the Championship relegation zone, had already shocked Premier League leaders Liverpool in the previous round and eliminated Brentford before that. Their strong run in the competition made them a dangerous opponent for City, and they nearly pulled off another surprise.
The visitors took the lead in the first half when Ukrainian defender Maksym Talovierov rose above the City defense to score with a powerful header from a corner. City, who made several changes to their starting lineup, looked unsettled as Plymouth frustrated them with disciplined defending.
However, just before halftime, O’Reilly brought City level. The 19-year-old midfielder connected with a perfectly placed free-kick from Kevin De Bruyne, guiding his header past Plymouth goalkeeper Conor Hazard.
City continued to push for the lead in the second half, with manager Pep Guardiola bringing on star striker Erling Haaland. The Norwegian forward had several chances, but Hazard produced some brilliant saves to keep Plymouth in the game. De Bruyne also tested the goalkeeper with a curling effort that was pushed away for a corner.
The breakthrough finally came in the 76th minute when O’Reilly struck again. He appeared to nudge Plymouth’s Jordan Houghton before heading the ball past Hazard, but the goal stood despite protests from the visitors.
