Man City advances in the FA Cup with a victory over Salford City.

Manchester City, the dominant force of the Premier League, had no trouble securing their place in the next round of the FA Cup, defeating Salford City 2-0. The victory was sealed with a goal from Marc Guehi, who scored for the first time wearing the Citizens’ jersey, in a match marked by an own goal from Alfie Dorrington just six minutes in. This clash, part of the fourth round of the 2025/26 FA Cup, saw Salford, a fourth division club, showing grit and determination, although the result did not reflect their courage on the pitch.

Dorrington, a young player, saw his night start with an unfortunate mistake, deflecting a cross from Rayan Ait-Nouri into his own net. From that moment on, Karl Robinson’s promotion-chasing team faced a monumental challenge, especially considering their recent history against City, who had thrashed Salford 8-0 in their last visit. However, Salford demonstrated admirable resilience, keeping Manchester City without a shot on target until halftime.

The absence of VAR was noticeable, especially when Omar Marmoush saw a powerful shot disallowed for offside. Salford’s goalkeeper, Matty Young, on loan from Sunderland, had a solid performance, preventing City from extending their lead until Guehi, with a simple play following a cross from Rayan Cherki, finally secured the victory in the 81st minute.

Analyzing the match, coach Pep Guardiola did not hide his frustration during the first half, where City dominated 94% of possession in the first 15 minutes but managed only two shots in the first half hour. Salford’s opportunities did not go unnoticed, with Josh Austerfield and Ben Woodburn wasting good chances, while Brandon Cooper, in a prime position, missed a header that could have changed the course of the game.

Guehi, who joined City for £20 million in January, became the hero of the afternoon, and his debut goal in the FA Cup recalls the last time he scored for Crystal Palace against Everton in March 2022. This goal also demonstrates the potential the player has to become a key figure in City’s defense, which continues its pursuit of more trophies.

With impressive statistics, City recorded 80.4% possession, 19 shots, and an xG (expected goals) of 2.42. In contrast, Salford had six shots, with an xG of just 0.36. This was a historic moment for Salford, who reached the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time, but their journey in this tournament continues to be marked by defeats against teams from the Premier League, now tallying four matches and a total of 17 goals conceded.

The next stage of the tournament will be crucial, with the draw for the fifth round scheduled for February 16, where expectations are high regarding who will be Manchester City’s next opponent. Meanwhile, Guardiola made nine changes to the team, keeping only Ait-Nouri and Phil Foden, and left out top scorer Erling Haaland, who was not in the squad.

Manchester City’s journey in the FA Cup continues, and the team hopes to secure another trophy for their collection, while Salford City can take pride in having fought bravely against a giant of English football.