Manchester City cruised to a 2-0 FA Cup victory over League Two side Salford City at the Etihad Stadium, with Marc Guéhi's late strike ultimately securing the Premier League giants' passage into the next round. An early own goal from Alfie Dorrington and Guéhi's clinical 81st-minute finish ensured Pep Guardiola's side avoided any potential cup upset, though Karl Robinson's resilient visitors made the hosts work considerably harder than the final scoreline might suggest.
The home side needed just six minutes to establish their advantage, albeit through fortuitous circumstances. Under pressure from City's relentless attacking movement, Dorrington inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, handing the hosts an early lead. Despite the promising start, Salford's disciplined defensive organization and heroic goalkeeper Matt Young kept City at bay for the next 75 minutes, frustrating the Premier League champions.
City's statistical dominance was overwhelming, controlling an astonishing 80.4% of possession and launching 19 shots at Young's goal compared to Salford's meager six attempts. Yet for all their territorial superiority, the hosts managed just four efforts on target—a surprisingly wasteful return that kept the visitors' hopes alive deep into the contest. Phil Foden orchestrated much of City's attacking play, with Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki probing constantly for openings in Salford's compact defensive shape.
Young produced a series of impressive saves that repeatedly thwarted the home side's attacking ambitions. In the 50th minute, he pushed away Ryan McAidoo's effort from the right side of the box, then produced an even more remarkable stop to deny Reijnders' close-range attempt moments later. Nico O'Reilly also found Young blocking his point-blank effort in the 77th minute, with the League Two goalkeeper keeping his side within touching distance of an improbable result.
Salford's defensive resistance finally crumbled with nine minutes remaining when Guéhi found space in the penalty area following a set piece. The defender's precise right-footed finish from the centre of the box nestled perfectly into the bottom right corner, effectively extinguishing any lingering hopes of a dramatic comeback. The goal capped a dominant City performance, even if the final scoreline took longer to reflect their overwhelming superiority than Guardiola might have anticipated.
The match occasionally turned physical, with Salford collecting two yellow cards to City's none. Rosaire Longelo received his booking in the 80th minute for a foul on substitute Antoine Semenyo, who had entered the pitch just five minutes earlier. The visitors also suffered an injury setback when Zach Awe required treatment and was eventually replaced by Oliver Turton in the 79th minute, a disruption that compromised their defensive structure at a crucial moment.
City's attacking threat extended beyond the goalscorers, with Omar Marmoush seeing his effort blocked in the 85th minute before Semenyo struck the right post with a left-footed shot moments later. The Egyptian forward, introduced alongside Guéhi and O'Reilly in a triple substitution, added fresh impetus to City's forward line. Rayan Cherki's creative passing repeatedly unlocked spaces, though the final ball often eluded his teammates' runs.
Salford's best opportunity came in the 60th minute when Kelly N'Mai forced James Trafford into a challenging save from a difficult angle on the right, with Longelo's cross finding the forward in a dangerous position. Ryan Graydon and Jorge Grant worked tirelessly in midfield for the visitors, while Ben Woodburn's experience proved valuable before his 79th-minute substitution. Luke Garbutt's left-footed effort from outside the box was blocked in the 67th minute as Salford briefly threatened an equalizer.
The numerical superiority in City's attacking statistics told the story of the contest. They won seven corners to Salford's six and committed eight fouls to the visitors' six, though neither side received a red card in what remained a competitive and fair encounter. Rico Lewis and John Stones provided unwavering stability at the back for City, rarely troubled by Salford's limited attacking forays.
Guardiola strategically utilized his squad depth, making five substitutions to manage players' workloads ahead of the demanding Premier League schedule. Rodri replaced Nico González in the 75th minute, adding fresh legs to City's midfield as they sought the insurance goal that Guéhi would eventually provide. The rotation policy allowed fringe players valuable minutes while maintaining the quality needed to progress past lower-league opposition.
The victory extends City's impressive recent form, having won four of their last five matches across all competitions. For Salford, the defeat continues a mixed run that has seen them lose two of their last five, though they can take pride in their defensive resilience against one of Europe's elite clubs. Robinson's tactical setup frustrated City for long periods, with the League Two side's compact shape forcing the hosts into patient build-up play rather than their usual free-flowing attacks.
Buoyed by this result, Manchester City now prepare for a crucial Premier League clash against Newcastle United on February 21, where three points will be the priority as they continue to chase silverware on multiple fronts.