London, March 17, 2024, The Europe Today: Holders Manchester City demonstrated their dominance on Saturday as they secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium, booking their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
City, making five changes from their previous Premier League encounter, asserted control over the game from the outset, outclassing a lackluster Newcastle side that offered little resistance.
The breakthrough came in the 13th minute when Bernardo Silva’s shot took a deflection off Newcastle defender Dan Burn, leaving goalkeeper Martin Dubravka stranded as the ball found its way into the net.
Silva doubled City’s lead in the 31st minute, once again cutting in from the right and unleashing a shot that deflected off Sven Botman’s head before nestling in the back of the net.
Despite Newcastle’s attempts to muster a response, with Alexander Isak coming close in the 36th minute, City’s defense remained resolute, limiting the visitors to just one effort on goal throughout the game.
Manager Eddie Howe’s tactical adjustments, including four substitutions just after the hour mark, failed to significantly alter the course of the match, as City continued to assert their dominance.
Although Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku had opportunities to extend City’s lead further, manager Pep Guardiola will be pleased with his team’s overall performance, as they executed their game plan effectively and controlled proceedings from start to finish.
Speaking after the match, Doku expressed his satisfaction with the team’s display, highlighting their defensive solidity and attacking prowess.
City’s progression to the semi-finals sees them join Coventry City, who secured a surprise 3-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the day, in the draw for the next round.
For Newcastle, the defeat marks the end of their hopes of silverware this season, as they now shift their focus to other competitions.
The draw for the FA Cup semi-finals will be conducted after Sunday’s remaining quarter-final ties featuring Chelsea against Leicester City and Manchester United versus Liverpool, setting the stage for further thrilling encounters in English football’s premier cup competition.
