Manchester City vs Salford LIVE FA Cup highlights and reaction: Blues limp into next round
Welcome to our live coverage of Manchester City's FA Cup fourth-round tie against Salford City. The Blues are overwhelming favorites to progress against their League Two opponents, who they beat 8-0 in this competition last season. Follow our Man City Facebook page for the latest news and analysis.
Pep Guardiola has made several changes for today's game, resting Erling Haaland after his midweek half-time substitution against Fulham. Here's the team lineup:
City: Trafford, Khusanov, Stones, Alleyne, Ait-Nouri, Gonzalez, Lewis, Reijnders, Cherki, Foden, Marmoush
Salford: Young, Woodburn, Grant, Nmai, Cooper, Austerfield, Dorrington, Graydon, Awe, Garbutt, Longelo
Kick-off at the Etihad is at 3 pm. We'll bring you all the build-up, action, reaction, and analysis, so stay tuned.
Key Events
Half-time ratings
Half-time!
Kick-off!
Match Updates
18:08: That's all. Thanks for following our live blog of City's win over Salford. Not a vintage performance, but they got the job done.
17:58: Pep's not happy. Guardiola expressed frustration, stating the only positive was their victory. City's manager had emphasized the need for squad rest, given their double-game-a-week schedule and Premier League title race pressures.
17:05: Report: Semenyo's impressive display. Even Guardiola, a FA Cup enthusiast, couldn't be pleased. Manchester City advanced to the fifth round, but the Etihad performance was underwhelming. Guardiola made nine changes, showcasing strength. John Stones returned, and Rayan Cherki, Omar Marmoush, and Tijjani Reijnders joined the attack. Nico Gonzalez formed the midfield base.
16:57: Player ratings. Trafford: 7, Alleyne: 6, Khusanov: 6.
16:50: 90+1' - CITY 2-0 SALFORD. City's lead extends to 2-0 with one minute remaining.
16:45: 87' - CITY 2-0 SALFORD. Ehibhatiomhan replaces Salford's player.
16:43: 86' - CITY 2-0 SALFORD. Semenyo's strike hits the post. The score remains 2-0.
16:42: 85' - CITY 2-0 SALFORD. City finds its rhythm. The second goal relaxes the team, and more goals may follow.
16:40: 82' - CITY 2-0 SALFORD - GOAL CITY. City's free-kick leads to Guehi's finish. The game is likely over.
16:36: 78' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. 12 minutes remain, and City still seeks the second goal. They've recently missed opportunities.
16:31: 74' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. Rodri warms up as Guardiola considers a substitution. His dissatisfaction is evident, and Salford's resilience is notable.
16:29: 71' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. Salford subs: Ashley for Grant, Udoh for N'Mai.
16:26: 68' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. Salford intensifies pressure with a free-kick and corner, but City survives.
16:22: 65' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. City subs: Semenyo for Foden, O'Reilly for Ait-Nouri, Guehi for Stones.
16:19: 61' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. City must be cautious. Their performance is poor, allowing Salford into a competitive game. Trafford makes decent saves, and Guardiola prepares substitutions.
16:18: 60' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. Salford's pressure persists, and their fans believe in a chance.
16:15: 58' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. Salford's cross is punched by Trafford, who misses the ball. A goal kick results.
16:12: 54' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. City maintains possession but struggles to finish.
16:09: 51' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. The Etihad's quietness contrasts with the broadcasters' delight at avoiding coverage. Journalists acknowledge the match's lack of excitement, attributing it to City's performance. Guardiola must improve in the second half.
16:08: 50' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. McAidoo tests the goalkeeper early in the second half.
16:04: 46' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. The second half begins with no changes.
15:48: Half-time ratings. Simon Bajkowski's ratings: Trafford 7, Alleyne 6, Khusanov 7, Stones 5, Ait-Nouri 7, Gonzalez 6, Lewis 6, Foden 6, Reijnders 5, McAidoo 6, Cherki 6, Marmoush 7.
15:48: Half-time! City leads 1-0 at the break, but the performance is underwhelming.
15:47: 45' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. Two minutes of added time. A late corner for Salford yields nothing.
15:45: 44' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. City's lead is slender, and the game has been uninspiring. Salford's Ben Woodburn attempts late, but City's possession suffocates them. Marmoush is often offside.
15:43: 41' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. Trafford makes a crucial save, turning over Woodburn's effort with five minutes to go.
15:36: 35' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. Stones falls in the area, but the referee dismisses penalty appeals.
15:35: 33' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. City's possession dominance is extreme, nearly 95% in the first 15 minutes. It's a record-breaking share.
15:25: 24' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. Marmoush's top finish is disallowed for offside. Khusanov's pass is impressive.
15:24: 23' - CITY 1-0 SALFORD. Max Alleyne's challenge is unclear, and Austerfield's kick was not a penalty. Alleyne is substituted, and Ryan McAidoo replaces him.
John Stones' early mistake set the tone for City's challenges.
