admin
London. — City were three up at half-time thanks to Riyad Mahrez’s magnificent free-kick, Julian Alvarez’s penalty and Phil Foden’s tremendous team goal. Mahrez added his second and City’s fourth from the spot late on to further underline the gulf between the two teams.
Pep Guardiola’s team can look forward to a tie at home to Arsenal if the Premier League leaders overcome Oxford United on Monday evening. As for Chelsea, it is the first time this century that the Blues find themselves not among the clubs in the fourth round.
The result adds to the pressure on Potter, who was only appointed in September. Chelsea have now lost six of their last nine matches in all competitions and have not tasted victory away from home since beating Red Bull Salzburg in October.
It was Mahrez who scored the only goal of the game when these teams met in the Premier League on Thursday and he broke the deadlock again here. His curling free-kick from the right edge of the box arrowed into the top corner beyond Kepa Arrizabalaga’s dive.
City had dropped points against Brentford and Everton in their last two Premier League games in front of their home supporters but they did not go two up then. With that advantage, the confidence grew and Guardiola’s side really started to purr.
What a goal their third of the first half was. Kyle Walker’s trickery got them moving, Foden and Rodri trading flicks, Mahrez found Walker’s overlapping run and there was Foden from close range to tap in. It was a goal typical of this City side at their absolute best.
Though the pace dropped thereafter, another good move brought the fourth goal when Kalidou Koulibaly clumsily bundled Foden to the ground and the referee had little choice but to point to the spot. Mahrez did the rest, lashing the ball high into the net.
There might even be an argument that City look more fluid with Alvarez making these unselfish runs up front than Erling Haaland, the team’s prolific striker, stood there banging them in himself. Either way, it is the sort of problem that Potter would love to have.
Throughout the second half, sections of the 8,000-strong travelling support chanted the name of his predecessor Thomas Tuchel, having earlier sang the name of the now departed owner Roman Abramovich. All is not well at Chelsea. The Man City machine rolls on.
Meanwhile league two Club Stevenage produced an incredible late turnaround by scoring twice in three minutes to dump Aston Villa out of the FA Cup.
Villa were on course for victory after Morgan Sanson fired them into a first-half lead despite a below-par performance against a side 59 places below them.
But it all changed when Leander Dendoncker was sent off in the 85th minute after losing the ball on the edge of his own area and hauling down substitute Dean Campbell inside the box, with the VAR confirming the decision. Jamie Reid, also off the bench, stepped up and nervelessly converted the spot kick.
Not content with a replay, Stevenage then won the tie when Villa switched off in the first minute of injury time at a corner, allowing Campbell to collect the ball short before firing past Robin Olsen, who should have done better. Boro will head to Stoke in the fourth round on the weekend of January 28/29.
Stevenage frustrated Aston Villa in the first half and went within a whisker of taking the lead. Danny Rose tapped in at the end of a precise move but after a VAR check, Luke Norris, who provided the assist, was offside in the build-up.
Villa had been restricted to long-range efforts until they put together a quick passing move that unlocked Boro. Philippe Coutinho found Douglas Luiz, he passed to Leon Bailey, who gave it to Danny Ings, and the striker’s first-time pass set Sanson in behind to finish low past Taye Ashby-Hammond.
Stevenage, though, nearly scored a superb equaliser as Norris’ bending effort from the left side of the box, grazed the top of the crossbar with Olsen well beaten.
Villa began the second half with greater purpose as Bailey volleyed wide from close range within 60 seconds of the restart. Calum Chambers also poked just off-target from a low Coutinho cross along the six-yard box.
Stevenage always looked threatening when they went forward, but it was a mistake from Dendoncker which sparked the turnaround. The midfielder was robbed of the ball by Campbell and hauled him down as he entered the box. Reid made sure Boro capitalised on the double punishment by sending Olsen the wrong way.
Then came a memorable FA Cup moment as Campbell drove the ball low and hard past Olsen at his near post to send the 3,000 Stevenage supporters into dreamland. — skysports.
Online Reporter