Clinical City set up a clash with United
The holders march on. Despite a spirited effort from an Oxford United side that was a credit to League One, Manchester City’s defence of the Carabao Cup remains intact. But rarely can they have been as tested as they were at soaked Kassam Stadium: Oxford’s 18 shots were the most City have faced during Pep Guardiola’s stewardship.
“They play so well,” said Guardiola of his opponents. “I congratulate them, they were extraordinary. But we are in the semi-final for the third season.” And this time, they will face their local rivals.
City had brought the Manchester weather with them to Oxford; the rain was relentless. Out on the pitch before the game started, the City coach Mikel Arteta was organising the warm-up as if those midnight trysts with Arsenal executives had never happened. Though whether it was for the last time, his immediate superior, clearly irked by the speculation surrounding the Spaniard’s mooted departure, was in no mood to elucidate.
“I don’t have any news,” Guardiola said. “I have 48 questions about Mikel but I don’t have anything more to say. It is enough.”
For Oxford, the focus before kickoff was about the past rather than the future. Jim Smith, the home club’s most successful manager, who died last week, was remembered with a minute’s sustained applause. It was a time to recall that Smith’s side had moved up the divisions with a style based on robust physicality. There was none of that on display from their successors. Oxford manager Karl Robinson prefers his players to pass rather than punch. His is a side are as progressive as any in the Football League.
Even so, it was a risky approach to attempt to take on City at their own game. And once the visitors settled on the ball, they began to pass at will through and beyond the energetic Oxford press. Phil Foden, making a third consecutive start for
City, demonstrated why he is so admired by his coach. As City dominated the early exchanges, Oxford tried not to be cowed. Cameron Brannagan supplied a lovely ball to allow Tariqe Fosu to run at the City defence, winning a corner. But as Oxford pushed forward, City responded with a glorious sequence of passing to take the ball out of defence. When the ball arrived at Foden’s feet in the centre circle, he sent a sumptuous pass to Joao Cancelo. The full-back strolled into the unattended space and, via a sizeable deflection, steered the ball in.
Jordan Archer then did well to save from Foden’s smart low shot as City began to relish their superiority. Oxford tried to respond, but the gulf in class appeared to be about to tell. Or so it seemed. Within moments of the second half starting, however, the excellent Shandon Baptiste took a quick free-kick in the middle of the pitch and, while the City defence sank into a daydream, threaded a ball forward to Matty Taylor. The centre-forward, on loan from Bristol City, still had a lot to do. But he ran on between the City centre-backs, nutmegging Eric Garcia in the process, before stroking the ball beyond Claudio Bravo.
But, as the three sides of the Kassam rocked with anticipation, Angelino burst forward and provided a gilt-edged invitation of a cross to find Raheem Sterling alone five yards out. Missing easy chances is no longer a part of his repertoire and the England man calmly restored the established order.
Oxford did not crumble, however. Fosu obliged Bravo to tip his shot over the bar: they were playing far better than some of the sides City have demolished in the Premier League. Guardiola sent on Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus in order to deliver certainty. Which Jesus duly did: with 20 minutes to go he swept forward to the byline, cut back and there was Sterling, again unmarked, to stab home from two yards.
Robinson’s team refused to accept the odds. Jamie Mackie, who had scored against City for QPR in the great “Agueroooo” game of 2012, had a shot brilliantly saved by Bravo, as City’s nerves twanged.
“If Jim is looking down from somewhere he’d be a very proud man,” Robinson said of Smith. Pride, though, was Oxford’s only reward. City were not to be derailed. Now United await. They will do well to play as impressively as Oxford did. Oxford United (4-2-3-1): Archer 6; Gorrin 6, Dickie 7, Moore 6, Ruffels 5; Brannagan 7, Baptiste 6 (Mousinho 87); Fosu 7, Long 6, Agyei 5 (Sykes 57); Taylor 7 (Mackie 75). Subs Stevens (g), Cadden, Hall, Henry. Manchester City (4-3-3): Bravo 7; Cancelo 6, Harwood-bellis 6, Garcia 6, Zinchenko 5; Foden 7, Rodri 6 (Gundogan 59), B Silva 6; Angelino 6 (Jesus 62), Mahrez 6, Sterling 7 (Bernabe 76). Subs Carson (g), Mendy, Otamendi, Diounkou.
Referee Andy Madley (West Yorkshire).