City keep quadruple dream alive as Chelsea march on
KEVIN De Bruyne starred as Manchester City stayed on course for an unprecedented “quadruple” as a 2-0 win at Cardiff on Sunday night put the runaway Premier League leaders into the last 16 of the FA Cup.
City, 12 points clear at the summit of English football, are bidding to bring the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League titles to the Etihad.
They made short work of secondtier Cardiff, with Belgian star De Bruyne putting them ahead after just eight minutes when he deceived the home side with a brilliant free-kick that he struck under, rather than over, the defensive wall.
Bernardo Silva appeared to have doubled the visitors’ lead with a thunderous 26th-minute shot but his goal was ruled out because the officials deemed Leroy Sane to be offside and interfering with play.
It appeared a harsh call but, with the controversial video assistant referee system that is being trialled in some English cup ties this season not in use for this match, there was no way of reviewing the decision.
But the second goal Pep Guardiola’s men had threatened arrived in the 37th minute when Silva’s superb curling cross from the left was headed in by Raheem Sterling.
Sane was tack led by Joe Bennett in first-half stoppage time and was replaced at t he brea k by striker Sergio Aguero.
The first-half goals from De Bruyne and Sterling were enough to ensure Premier League leaders City stayed on a course for the quadruple as they progressed in the FA Cup.
But some of t he shine of t his latest v ictor y was removed when Sane failed to ta ke t he field for t he second half af ter a bad tack le by Bennett lef t the Germany winger with an ankle injur y.
Cardiff defender Bennett was then sent off in the closing seconds for yet another poor tackle on City substitute Brahim Diaz.
Guardiola after the match called upon referees to provide greater protection for players after Sane’s injury.
Batshuayi double
“[Sane] will be out for a while – minimum two weeks, three weeks, one month, we will see exactly,” Guardiola said. “I said many times the only thing [referees] have to do is protect the players.
“I can accept our disallowed goal, I don’t know why but I accept, but please protect the players. Not [just] Man City players, all players. The only thing they can do is that – to protect the players – because it would not happen again.”
Earlier, Michy Batshuayi scored twice as Chelsea beat Premier League rivals Newcastle 3-0 to also advance into the fifth round.
Batshuayi’s goals in the 31st and 44th minutes and a Marcos Alonso free-kick 18 minutes from time were enough for Premier League champions Chelsea to see off Rafael Benitez’s struggling side.
The Belgian’s striker’s first was the result of a neat team move, Pedro’s superb through ball splitting the Newcastle defence and leading to Eden Hazard slipping a pass inside to Alonso, who set up Batshuayi for a finish from eight yards out.
The Belgian forward scored his second goal shortly before half-time when his shot took a huge deflection off Newcastle’s Jamaal Lascelles.
Alonso sealed victory with a wellstruck free-kick.
“When I have a chance I take the chance and I work every day to be here,” Batshuayi, who has been linked with a move away from Chelsea during the transfer window, told BT Sport.
Following their League Cup semifinal loss to Arsenal, the FA Cup offers Chelsea their best chance of a domestic trophy this season. By contrast, Premier League survival is the priority for a Newcastle side that are currently just one point above the relegation zone.
Newcastle manager Benitez, asked if he would be able to bring in a new striker before the transfer window shuts on Wednesday, replied: “I don’t think so but we will see. We will try to do something.”