Manchester City secured a thrilling 1-0 victory against Tottenham in the fourth round of the FA Cup at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The decisive moment came in the 88th minute when Dutch defender Nathan Ake controversially stabbed home, ending City's goal drought at the plush arena, where they had previously failed to score in five visits since April 2019.
City's manager, Pep Guardiola, expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, saying, "Today we performed incredibly well. Everything pleased me, from minute one to the end."
The victory marked City's sixth consecutive win and their seventh in all competitions, showcasing their resurgence after a pre-Christmas dip in form.
The win comes on the same day that the football world absorbed the news of Jurgen Klopp's impending departure as Liverpool boss at the end of the season. Guardiola acknowledged Klopp as his biggest rival, adding a hint of relief, saying, "I’m a little bit pleased because without him, I will sleep a little bit better the night before we play against Liverpool."
The intense rivalry between Klopp and Guardiola has been a defining narrative in English football, with City often outshining Liverpool in recent silverware achievements. City won all three major prizes last season and remain strong contenders in the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup this year.
Despite star striker Erling Haaland's absence due to injury, City faced initial challenges in finding the net in north London. However, the late-game heroics of Nathan Ake secured the crucial win. Guardiola's strategic substitutions, bringing on Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku in the final 25 minutes, showcased his adept management skills.
In other fourth-round action, Chelsea was held to a goalless draw by Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. Both teams had opportunities to break the deadlock, with a combined 23 shots failing to yield a winner.
The match sets up a replay at Villa Park, with Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino expressing satisfaction with his team's performance.
The FA Cup action continued with Nottingham Forest's goalless draw against Championship giant-killers Bristol City at Ashton Gate
Bristol City, having previously caused an upset against West Ham in a third-round replay, once again proved to be formidable opponents for a Premier League side.
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