KDB RETURNS AS 5-STAR CITY EASE INTO NEXT ROUND

Monday 8 January 2024

FA Cup, Round 3

Etihad Stadium, Ashton New Rd, Manchester M11 3FF

KDB RETURNS AS 5-STAR CITY EASE INTO NEXT ROUND

Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku prepare to come onto the pitch.

MATCH PREVIEW:

The return of the champions back at home. After a staggering 5 trophies in 2023, Manchester City will look to begin 2024 on the front foot as they welcome struggling Huddersfield to the Etihad Stadium. This is the first meeting between the two teams, since the Terriers got relegated to the Championship in 2019 and last season, they just about survived relegation. With Neil Warnock leaving them, new head coach Darren Moore will hope to find a way to stun the 7-time FA Cup winners and go into the next round of the FA Cup. With 4 straight victories in all competitions, can the defending champions cruise into the 4^th round?

TEAM NEWS:

There were speculations of whether Rodri will not play due to personal reasons, but he is fine and is on the subs bench as Manchester City make 5 changes from their 2-0 home win over Sheffield United, with 2^nd choice GK Stefan Ortega starting in place of Ederson. Sergio Gómez and Rúben Dias replace Nathan Aké and Kyle Waker in the defence. Rico Lewis starts in place of Rodri, and Oscar Bobb replaces Bernardo Silva, who misses out due to illness along with Kalvin Phillips. Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku are both on the bench with the young winger back with the team after 1 month out with a muscle injury. There is still no Erling Haaland, as he continues his recovery from a foot injury.

As for Darren Moore’s Huddersfield, there are 3 changes to the team that lost away at Leicester City, with new signing Alex Matos, on loan from Chelsea, Brody Spencer, who returned from his loan spell and wingback Ben Jackson, start in place of Nakayama, Kasumu and Headley, as they play a 5-4-1 formation with Sorba Thomas spearheading the attack.

KICK-OFF: FIRST HALF

Here we go as Huddersfield kick-off the game, first half begins. A very intriguing contest here today. Following the opening exchanges, the game's first real moment arrived on 12 minutes. Manuel Akanji who was on the attack for City, was brought down by Alex Matos and the young man gets booked for the foul on the Swiss and he is also injured himself. As soon as Akanji came back on, he instantly signalled that he could not carry on, and hence, a substitution for Manchester City on the 20 minute mark, with Matheus Nunes replacing Akanji, this sees a formation change. Matheus Nunes will play with Mateo Kovacic in the midfield, Rico Lewis shifts to RB. and no other changes for the front 4. 

Manuel Akanji limped off injured after he fell awkwardly.

That was not what the hosts wanted. But anyways, they continued on without him. City continued to threaten the Terriers backline and eventually, the pressure paid of on the half-hour mark. As Mateo Kovacic and Grealish worked together, the Croatian found Julian Álvarez and Álvarez found Foden and he scored! The first goal wasn't long incoming with a wonderful team move by securing short passes and Foden completed the move, and City in front after 32 minutes.

Phil Foden opened the scoring for Manchester City.

A well-deserved opening goal for the hosts. They continued to threaten that backline and they eventually found their second. Matheus Nunes and Rico Lewis combined together to set up Julian Álvarez who finished from close range. Another wonderful team move, which saw plenty of passing before the finish from the Argentine as he tapped in Rico Lewis's scuffed effort to make it, Manchester City 2 - Huddersfield 0.

Julian Álvarez scored City's second goal of the match.

    HT IN MANCHESTER. A comfortable lead for the hosts, as they will look to continue their good form before they come into the second half.

KICK-OFF: SECOND HALF

Here we go in the second half, it has been a fine first half from City, will we see more goals in the second half? The hosts kick-off. They continued their aggressive pressing in the first half, and they very nearly got a third on 52 minutes, Oscar Bobb dragged his shot wide, after another brilliant passing sequence leading up to the goal. Very close. And the roar comes from the home fans, and it was a big one. The chants of "OH, KEVIN DE BRUYNE!", "OH, KEVIN DE BRUYNE!" fully got the crowd engaged, because on 57 minutes, the return of De Bruyne back onto the pitch. He and his friend and country teammate, Jeremy Doku was also prepared to come on. The Belgian duo replace Julian Álvarez and Jack Grealish for the final 30 minutes.

Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku prepare to replace Álvarez and Grealish

And De Bruyne's appearance on the pitch sparked a goal on 58 minutes. From Mateo Kovacic's pass, Matheus Nunes' control found Oscar Bobb, whose shot took a touch on the way into the net. 3-0 on the hour mark. It may have taken a deflection off Ben Jackson on the way through, but they won't care will Manchester City. The points are well and truly sealed.

Bobb's effort was deflected into his own net by Ben Jackson.

7 minutes later, City got their 4th from the corner. A well-worked corner between Kevin De Bruyne and Oscar Bobb, sees the 32-year-old pick out Mateo Kovacic whose cute backheel found Phil Foden, who drove the ball from 20 yards into the back of the net. A phenomal 4th goal for City, scored by the number 47. 

Doku, Dias and Foden celebrate after the 23-year-old scored City's 4th goal.

The points were finally sealed on 74 minutes. From Mateo Kovacic's tackle on Wiles, a counterattack was unleashed by Kevin De Bruyne and Oscar Bobb. And the move finished with the Belgian duo, off the bench for today's game, sealing the 5th goal, De Bruyne's cross, met well by Jeremy Doku, who volleyed it in. 

Jeremy Doku made his comeback by volleying in the 5th goal.

And with that, the full time whistle has been sounded and Manchester City cruise into the 4th round of the FA Cup. A Phil Foden brace, Julian Álvarez strike, a Ben Jackson own goal and substitute Jeremy Doku's volley were more than enough to comfortably see off Huddersfield.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Phil Foden

The academy graduate, 23, has been spectacular in today's game. He orchestrated the first goal of the game by finishing a brilliant passing sequence, then he scored his second from Mateo Kovacic's backheel pass to grab his brace. He is in superb form, since the FIFA Club WC final win. 4 goals and 2 assists in 4 games! What a talent! Can he continue that form as City travel to Newcastle on Saturday 13 January for more Premier League action!