Manchester City 2-0 Salford City: Marc Guehi scores first Man City goal in victory
Manchester City progressed to the FA Cup fifth-round draw with a 2-0 win over League Two Salford City on Saturday (ET), courtesy of an early own goal and a late strike by new signing Marc Guehi. A much-changed City side laboured for long spells, weathering a couple of big chances for the visitors and an early injury before settling the tie late on.
Fast opener, then a battle — man city vs salford city
Just six minutes in the tie swung in City's favour when Alfie Dorrington turned a whipped cross into his own net, giving the hosts an immediate boost. The early setback seemed to invite a rout after last season's heavy Cup win here, but Salford regrouped quickly and made the game difficult for their top-flight opponents.
Rather than exploiting the lead, City struggled to find clear openings against a compact Salford setup that packed the midfield and defended stoutly. The visitors produced two notable chances before half-time: Ben Woodburn forced a high-quality save from James Trafford, and Brandon Cooper failed to connect properly with a dangerous corner at the far post.
Injury blow, chances saved and a tactical slog
City lost defender Max Alleyne to injury in the 22nd minute, forcing an early reshuffle and handing Salford further belief. The hosts found it hard to create fluency; passes stalled and movement often lacked the usual incisiveness. James Trafford was called into action on several occasions, including a sharp stop to deny Woodburn and another save when Kelly N'Mai's effort came straight at him after the break.
Managerial changes and rotation left the home side with a youthful, experimental feel on the pitch, and that contributed to a stop-start display. The match felt like a grind for much of the 90 minutes — City pressing and probing, Salford defending deep and looking for moments to counter. Frustration grew in the home camp, with the manager later describing the performance as laboured and pointing to a congested schedule as a factor.
Late substitute strike from Guehi puts tie to rest
With the contest still hanging in the balance, three second-half substitutes were introduced to inject energy. It was Marc Guehi who provided the decisive moment, converting from close range after Salford keeper Matthew Young could only palm a cross into the defender's path. The 25-year-old's finish, his first for the club since joining last month, arrived in the 80th minute and finally eased the tension.
Guehi's presence in the tie reflected a recent change to FA Cup eligibility rules that now allow a player to feature for one other club in the competition proper, a tweak that made him available this season despite earlier appearances for another side. His goal ensured City avoided the prospect of extra time and added to their long run of home FA Cup victories.
The final whistle confirmed a 2-0 scoreline and a place in Monday's fifth-round draw. For Salford, the performance will be taken as encouragement: they frustrated a major opponent for much of the match and had clear chances to make life awkward. For City, the result advances their Cup hopes but leaves questions about rhythm and sharpness as they juggle fixtures in a congested calendar.
