City end Newport’s FA Cup fairytale
LONDON: Manchester City powered into the FA Cup quarterfinals as the Premier League leaders survived a battling display from Newport County to beat the fourth-tier minnows 4-1 on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side didn’t have an easy ride in a full-blooded fifth round tie against a team 82 places below them in League Two.
Newport have beaten Leeds, Leicester and Middlesbrough, as well as drawing with Tottenham, at Rodney Parade in the last 14 months, and they again emerged with credit for frustrating City for so long.
Troubled by the rutted pitch, City were indebted to Ederson for a superb save to keep them level during a lacklustre first-half display.
City eventually hit their stride in the second half and Leroy Sane’s powerful finish put them ahead before Phil Foden doubled the lead.
Newport refused to surrender and Padraig Amond’s late goal could have set up a tense finale, only for Foden to net again 79 seconds later before Riyad Mahrez wrapped up the win.
“It was a really tough game. We opened the scoring in the game and believed it was done. They showed us how incredible they are and a big compliment for them,” Guardiola said.
“The home crowd was amazing, winning here, I understand English football today better than ever and how tough the cup is in these conditions.”
With their Champions League last 16 first leg against Schalke to come on Wednesday, followed by the League Cup final against Chelsea, Guardiola made seven changes to the side which hammered Chelsea 6-0 last weekend.
“You play League Two then Champions League. You have to adapt and change mentality and that means a lot to grow like as a team. The big mistake is believing you are better than anyone,” Guardiola said.
“It is a mistake, like United are praised and better than PSG, but you see what happened. You have to be calm and prepare well.”
Newport’s cup run is now over for another season, but they have made more than £1 million (RM5.27 million) from it and kept themselves firmly on the football map.
Brighton moved into the quarter-finals for the second successive season as goals from Anthony Knockaert and Jurgen Locadia clinched a 2-1 win over Frank Lampard’s Derby.
Championship strugglers Millwall are also through to the quarter-finals after a 1-0 win at third tier AFC Wimbledon.