Manchester City 5-0 Huddersfield: 5 Hits and Flops as Cityzens romp to easy win | FA Cup Third Round 2023-24
Manchester City eased to a comfortable 5-0 win over championship side Huddersfield Town to advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, January 7.
Pep Guardiola opted to make five changes from the starting lineup that beat Sheffield United 2-0 on December 30. Youngsters Oscar Bobb and Rico Lewis were handed starts, with Stefan Ortega also coming in for Ederson in goal.
While Manchester City dominated the early stages of the game, they struggled to test the Huddersfield defense. Their continued pressure finally paid off in the 33rd minute when Phil Foden found some space in the box and found the back of the net from a tight angle.
The floodgates opened with this strike as, just four minutes later, Julian Alvarez doubled their lead. The Argentine's scuffed effort rolled home to make it 2-0.
It was more of the same in the second half as Manchester City continued to dominate possession. They made it 3-0 in the 58th minute when Bobb's shot took a deflection off defender Ben Jackson and looped over the keeper.
The onslaught continued as Foden bagged his brace in the 65th minute. A well-worked corner routine saw Mateo Kovacic lay the ball off to the attacker whose sharp first-time effort gave the keeper no chance.
Substitute Jeremy Doku got in on the act in the 74th minute, making it 5-0. Kevin de Bruyne found him with a chipped ball and the winger struck a half-volley into the back of the net.
It was a comfortable day out for Manchester City as they completely dismantled their Championship opponents. Here are five hits and flops from the game.
#5. Hit - Julian Alvarez
Alvarez continues to prove a key player for Manchester City in the absence of star striker Erling Haaland. The Argentinian bagged a goal and an assist in just 57 minutes of action. Despite being second fiddle to the Norwegian, he already has 12 goals and nine assists this season.
#4. Flop - Jack Grealish
It was a quiet day out for the winger, who has seemingly fallen below Jeremy Doku in the pecking order for Pep Guardiola. Against Huddersfield, he started well but struggled to have an impact in the game, taken off alongside Alvarez.
He did not have a single shot or complete a single dribble. Overall, he has just three goals and two assists in 22 appearances, a mark that is much below City's expected standards.
#3. Hit - Manchester City midfield
The City midfield played a vital role in their complete domination of Huddersfield. Mateo Kovacic, Rico Lewis, and later, Matheus Nunes and Kevin de Bruyne ensured that the visitors could barely have a touch of the ball.
They finished the game with 84 percent possession. Kovacic and de Bruyne also chipped in with an assist each, completely controlling the flow of play.
#2. Flop - Huddersfield defence
While it was always a tough draw against Manchester City, Huddersfield's backline began the game well. However, two lapses of concentration saw them go down 2-0 into half-time and subsequently, their heads dropped as they let five in.
They have one of the leakiest defenses (44 goals conceded in 26 games) in the Championship, a key reason as they find themselves in 21st, just three points off the bottom three.
#1. Hit - Phil Foden
Foden was an electric presence for Manchester City in their big win. He scored two fantastic goals and also linked up well with the midfield.
Alongside his brace, he finished the game with four shots, eight touches in the opposition box, three passes into the final third, and four accurate long balls. He has four goals and three assists in his last five games for the side, a testament to his brilliant recent form.