FODEN UP FOUR IT!
City begin quest to retain again
PHIL FODEN continued his fine start to the new season to send holders Manchester City through to the fourth round.
Foden created City’s opener and scored their winner in the 75th minute as Pep Guardiola’s side were forced to dig deep to overcome a resilient Bournemouth side.
But City’s class eventually told as Guardiola’s side maintained their quest for a fourth straight EFL Cup success, which will take them to Burnley in the next round.
Foden may have been City’s match- winner but the night was also memorable for the introduction tio of striker Li Liam Delap, 17, so son of former St Stoke midfielder an and throw- in le legend Rory.
Delap marked his City debut with a stunning strike to give them the lead and played the full 90 minutes, making his presence felt with some robust centreforward play.
With so many players injured and Ilkay Gundogan isolating after testing positive for coronavirus, Guardiola was forced to dip into his youth ranks and team them with some established names.
As well as Delap, there was also a debut for goalkeeper Zac Steffen, 25, while winger Ferran Torres, their £ 21m summer signing from Valencia, was handed a full debut.
City, chasing a record- equalling eighth League Cup triumph, had not lost a tie since a 1- 0 defeat at Manchester United, then managed by Jose Mourinho, in 2016.
Predictably, City dominated possession early on, Foden twice playing balls in behind the visitors, for Torres and Riyad Mahrez, both of whom were thwarted by Bournemouth keeper Mark Travers.
But it was to prove third time lucky for City when Foden was again the architect, playing the ball through to Delap, who produced a sublime left- footed finish into the top right corner.
At 17 years and 229 days, Delap became City’s youngest scorer since Rony Lopes, 17 years and eight days, who found the back of the net in an FA Cup tie against Watford in 2013.
With City in charge and creating chances, it looked as though Delap’s opener would prove the platform for them to build a decent lead.
But Bournemouth refused to roll over. Sam Surridge produced a clinical finish four minutes later to round off a slick move and get the visitors back on level terms.
City put Jason Tindall’s side under relentless pressure in the second half, which the visitors did well to absorb, with Guardiola forced to bring on Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling to help get City over the line.
Bournemouth’s resolve was eventually broken with Foden’s late strike, turning the ball in after a Mahrez shot came back off a post, to seal the victory for the cup holders.
MANCHESTER CITY ( 4- 2- 3- 1): Steffen 6; Walker 6, Garcia 6, Harwood- Bellis 6, Bernabe 6 ( Mendy 35, 6); Doyle 7 ( Sterling 67, 6), Rodri 6 ( De Bruyne 60, 7); Mahrez 6, FODEN 8, Torres 6; Delap 7. Subs: Carson, Ake, Palmer, Nmecha.
BOURNEMOUTH ( 4- 5- 1): Travers 6; Ofoborh 6, Simpson 6, Kelly 6 ( Zemura 27, 6), Smith 6; L Cook 6, Gosling 7, Billing 6, Rico 6 ( S Cook 64, 6), Brooks 6 ( Kilkenny, 76); SURRIDGE 7. Subs: Begovic, Lerma, Stacey, Anthony, Zemura.
REFEREE: Jon Moss 6.