CANCEL THE FIREWORKS
Robins ‘cupset’ turns into damp squib... but Pep admits: I worried!
MANCHESTER CITY struck three times in the last nine minutes after Cheltenham had threatened to bring Pep Guardiola’s men down to earth.
With City forced to take the bus to the Jonny-Rocks Stadium after snow meant they had to cancel their plans to fly to Gloucestershire, the last thing Guardiola needed was to run into a League Two side ready to kick up an FA Cup storm.
For 22 minutes, Michael Duff ’s Robins could rightly dream about pulling off one of the biggest shocks in FA Cup history.
When Alfie May struck to put the home side ahead just before the hour mark, Guardiola was staring down the barrel.
He had seen his side miss a catalogue of chances – and it was only when the City boss summoned
Ruben Dias, Joao
Cancelo and Ilkay
Gundogan from the bench that he found a solution.
Phil Foden’s equaliser stunned
Cheltenham – and before they could clear their heads they were knocked out by goals from Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres.
“Of course I was worried,” admitted Guardiola. “I told Michael after the game that his players were very good and showed excellent quality.
“We had missed some big chances and if we had scored a goal then things would have
been different. When you make changes it is because you are looking for something – and in the end we showed our quality.”
That the home side survived the first half unscathed was down to a combination of some wayward finishing, impressive goalkeeping, inspired defending and sheer bloody-mindedness.
But when opportunity knocked for them to get on the front foot, Duff ’s men showed they can play a bit as well.
Goalkeeper Josh Griffiths had been beaten by a world-record goal in midweek when his Newport counterpart Tom King scored from 96 yards. It took him just 26 seconds to show the watching nation that he was up for the Cup by stretching himself to tip away Gabriel Jesus’s lob after the Brazilian had been sent clear thanks to Riyad Mahrez’s wonderful pass.
Then came one of those moments the Cup is famous for.
Benjamin Mendy was already thinking about his celebration when he connected perfectly with a meaty half-volley from 25 yards.
But Cheltenham skipper Ben Tozer had instinctively backpedalled towards his own goalline to produce an amazing
headed clearance. Then Torres scuffed a weak close-range effort too close to Griffiths.
And Jesus’s lack of confidence became evident when he leapt unchallenged to meet Mahrez’s cross – the ball struck him on his shoulder and looped over.
A firework display outside the ground prompted referee Stuart Attwell to halt the tie for a few minutes just before half-time.
And after the break, Charlie Raglan, a boyhood Manchester United fan with the same Wythenshawe roots as Marcus Rashford, smashed into Jesus and earned himself a booking.
Jesus then wasted the chance for retribution when he shot wastefully wide after being sent clear by Foden.
Guardiola must have started fearing the worst.
And Cheltenham did indeed deliver it as they struck in sensational fashion on 59 minutes.
Tozer’s long throws had been causing City problems all night.
He delivered another howitzer deep into the City box, and the ball dropped invitingly for May to nip in ahead of Zack Steffen and fire into the roof of the net.
The shock was on. Mahrez was denied an equaliser after breaking clear when Griffiths narrowed the angle to produce an excellent save. But City got level in the 81st minute when substitute Cancelo crossed from the right and Foden arrived from the other flank to volley home.
Two minutes later, City were ahead, when Jesus controlled Fernandinho’s ball into the box and turned to thrash a shot past Griffiths.
Torres finally killed the contest in injury
time, converting Gundogan’s cross from close-range.
Robins boss Duff said: “It was an incredible performance and I am so proud of the players.
“Pep and his players know they have been in a decent game.
“They are the best team in the world and are capable of sticking seven, eight or nine past you.
“That fear drove us on and when the clocked ticked into the last 10 minutes and we were ahead, of course we started to dream.”
The Robins, who are 72 places below City, must now get back to reality. It’s Oldham Athletic on Tuesday.
Pep and his players know that they have been in a decent game... but Manchester City are the best team in the world