Man City hand Newcastle brutal FA Cup lesson as Chelsea survive scare
Manchester City overcame ten alterations to their initial squad to defeat Newcastle 3-1 and advance to the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, while Chelsea managed to overcome a tense match against 10-man Wrexham.
Earlier in the day, Premier League frontrunners Arsenal maintained their pursuit of a remarkable quadruple by edging out a determined effort from third-division Mansfield to secure a 2-1 victory in their fifth-round encounter.
Pep Guardiola's City side, similar to Arsenal in contending for success across four competitions, featured almost a completely refreshed lineup from the one that ended in a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest during the midweek Premier League fixture, with just Matheus Nunes retaining his position.
Eddie Howe opted for a more restrained four adjustments to his Newcastle lineup, coming off their recent narrow triumph over Manchester United, and handed a infrequent opportunity to start to the decisive scorer Will Osula.
The hosts started assertively at St James' Park and earned a rightful advantage when Harvey Barnes neatly converted after Tonali set him up.
City equalised in the 39th minute in an unusual manner as Jeremy Doku's threatening pass into the defensive line rolled directly to Savinho.
The Brazilian remained stationary and seemed to allow the ball to deflect off his leg into the goal.
Shortly following the interval, City turned the game around completely when Omar Marmoush powerfully struck the ball into the top corner from near distance.
The Egyptian striker then blasted in his second goal in the 65th minute, placing his team firmly in command.
Guardiola, with his squad scheduled to play Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, utilised a substitute bench filled with world-class players during the latter stages to revitalise his team, which aims to make their fourth consecutive FA Cup final appearance.
"In Leverkusen, it was a robust lineup as well, a 2-0 loss for a heavily rotated team, but we triumphed today, so it worked out," Guardiola commented to the BBC. "It was a solid choice and when it fails, it seems poor.
"This represents our finest display in this venue throughout my ten years here. That shows reliability and that is why I feel proud."
Chelsea scare
Chelsea progressed to the last eight following a 4-2 success, yet only after enduring a significant fright versus second-division Wrexham, who led twice at the Racecourse Ground.
The Hollywood-backed Wrexham, observed by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, opened the scoring via Sam Smith, but the away team levelled just before the break through an unfortunate own goal.
In an exhilarating second half, Callum Doyle restored the Welsh side's lead in the 78th minute, only for Josh Acheampong to tie it up four minutes later.
The match's dynamics shifted when Wrexham's midfielder George Dobson received a red card in added time, and Chelsea's winger Alejandro Garnacho volleyed in during the initial extra-time period before replacement Joao Pedro's tardy effort polished the result.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior, who implemented nine rotations considering the upcoming Wednesday clash with Paris Saint-Germain, conceded that his team had been fortunate.
"That explains the allure of the FA Cup," he remarked. "I considered Wrexham outstanding, remarkable in their vigour, bravery, and style of play.
"We needed to operate at an exceptionally elevated standard. We were tested thoroughly by a truly capable opponent."
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson, architect of three successive promotions for his club, noted they could draw "plenty of encouragement" from the showing.
"We demonstrated numerous positive elements in our game and executed some excellent football," he shared with the BBC. "We did not just aim to contain Chelsea, we are confident in our ability to compete."
Wrexham now focuses on their campaign for a fourth consecutive promotion, targeting the Premier League this time.
In the opening FA Cup fixture of the day, Eberechi Eze fired in the decisive goal as a significantly rotated Arsenal ground out a success over Mansfield.
Noni Madueke gave the 14-time FA Cup champions the edge against the League One battlers just prior to half-time, but replacement Will Evans equalised shortly after the resumption.
England's Eze hammered home in the middle of the second half to reestablish Arsenal's advantage, moments after entering the pitch under Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's instructions.
jw