Manchester City continued their pursuit of a potential quadruple, securing a 3-1 victory over Newcastle United in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday. The win came as Chelsea and Arsenal as well progressed, albeit with more difficulty, setting the stage for an intriguing quarterfinal stage. Liverpool had advanced on Friday with a 3-1 win over Wolverhampton.
At St. James’ Park, Manchester City initially fell behind to a Harvey Barnes goal in the 10th minute. However, Pep Guardiola’s side responded before halftime, leveling the score through a goal from Brazilian forward Savinho in the 39th minute. The second half saw the Citizens seize control, with Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush scoring twice – in the 47th and 65th minutes – to seal the victory. Marmoush’s second goal was assisted by Portuguese teammate Matheus Nunes.
“It’s the best performance we’ve place in at this stadium in the decade I’ve been here,” Guardiola told the BBC after the match. “We played consistently and I’m proud of that.”
The FA Cup win comes at a busy time for both Manchester City and Newcastle United, as they now turn their attention to Champions League commitments. City will face Real Madrid, while Newcastle is set to travel to Barcelona in the coming week for their respective round of 16 ties.
Garnacho Rescues Chelsea in Prorogation
Chelsea needed extra time to overcome a spirited challenge from Wrexham, of the second division, winning 4-2. With a Champions League quarterfinal tie against Paris Saint-Germain looming, Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior opted to give playing time to squad players. Wrexham took the lead twice, with Sam Smith scoring in the 18th minute and Callum Doyle in the 79th. Chelsea equalized through an own goal from Arthur Okonkwo in the 40th minute and a strike from Josh Acheampong in the 82nd.
A late red card for George Dobson in the 93rd minute left Wrexham shorthanded heading into extra time. Chelsea capitalized, with Argentine Alejandro Garnacho scoring in the 96th minute and Brazilian Joao Pedro adding another in the 120+5th minute to secure the win. A Wrexham goal in extra time was disallowed for offside after a VAR review.
Garnacho’s first goal, a shot deflected in by Okonkwo, proved crucial. Wrexham, co-owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, earned praise for their performance despite the defeat.
“For games like this, that’s what the Cup is about,” Rosenior said. “Wrexham played a magnificent game with the energy they put in, the bravery of their players, and the way they played. We had to be at a very high level to win.”
Arsenal Edge Past Mansfield Town
Arsenal secured a narrow 2-1 victory over Mansfield Town, a League One side, in the first match of the day. Manager Mikel Arteta rested several key players ahead of their Champions League trip to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, and his rotated squad faced a challenging contest.
Noni Madueke gave Arsenal the lead just before halftime in the 41st minute, but Mansfield Town equalized through Will Evans in the 50th minute. The decisive goal came from Eberechi Eze in the 66th minute, shortly after entering the game as a substitute.
The match also saw 16-year-old Max Dowman become the youngest player to ever feature in an FA Cup match for Arsenal.
These results set the stage for a compelling FA Cup quarterfinal draw, with Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City all advancing. The competition continues to provide a thrilling backdrop to the ongoing league and European campaigns for these top English clubs.
Next up for Manchester City is their Champions League clash with Real Madrid, while Newcastle United prepares for their trip to Barcelona. Chelsea will travel to Paris to face PSG, and Arsenal will take on Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. These upcoming matches will undoubtedly test the depth and resilience of these teams as they compete on multiple fronts.
