Five Things Learned: Bristol City 0-3 Manchester City (FA Cup Fifth Round)

Manchester City have progressed through to the quarter-finals of this season’s FA Cup following a 0-3 away win over Championship side Bristol City.

It was a hard fought victory in the end against a resilient Bristol side, who remained unphased despite an early opening goal from Phil Foden. The England international got on the end of a Riyad Mahrez cross, after a well worked move by the team.

Manchester City had to work hard to double their lead however, with Bristol City being robust whilst maintaining the threat on the counter-attack, despite not troubling the visitors’ net too much.

The second goal came from a brilliant Kevin De Bruyne pass into Nathan Ake who found space, laying the ball to Julian Alvarez who slotted Phil Foden in who, once again, made no mistake with the finish.

After spending 67 minutes trying to find a second, the floodgates opened and it was only seven minutes later before the third came via an incredible Kevin De Bruyne strike from around 30 yards out. The Belgian international was instrumental throughout the game, creating and converting last night for the blues.

The scoreline may disappoint Bristol City, but it’s no less than what Manchester City deserved after an all-rounded display from the Premier League champions.

With that being said, here are five things we learned from Manchester City’s comprehensive 0-3 away win in the FA Cup fifth round over Bristol City.

Foden’s finding form

Two goals in an overall phenomenal display from Phil Foden was the perfect visual reminder of what he is capable of.

Foden has had a relatively underwhelming return to club football since the break for the World Cup, scoring his first Premier League goal at the weekend since the defeat to Brentford at the Etihad Stadium back in November.

The England international has come under some scrutiny whilst being side-lined by an in-form Jack Grealish, but the versatile forward silenced critics with his performance on Tuesday night.

Whether it was the razor sharp movement, nimble footwork or the delicate ball control, Phil Foden looked back to his best.

Jack Grealish has become unmovable in the Manchester City team as of late, but performances like the one shown last night certainly won’t hinder Phil Foden’s chances of regaining a spot back in the starting line-up on a consistent basis.

A captain’s performance from Kevin De Bruyne

An away trip to a Championship side in the Cup will never be easy, especially with the atmosphere bound to be electric as fans and players are always going to be right up for it. In situations like these, you need your best players to step up to the mark – something which captain on the night Kevin De Bruyne did in abundance.

The 31-year-old was at the heart of all three goals for Manchester City.

Slipping Riyad Mahrez in who set Phil Foden up nicely for the first, before instigating the move which doubled Manchester City’s lead deeper into the second half. This was all before taking matters into his own hands and curling the ball inside the far post from 30 yards in trademark KDB fashion.

Question marks over Phillips

Making just his second start in a Manchester City shirt last night, Kalvin Phillips looked somewhat off the pace. The former Leeds United star arrived in the summer for a £50 million price tag and was tasked with pushing Rodri to earn a starting spot in the City team.

Phillips hasn’t had the easiest run since arriving in the summer, suffering from injuries with a recurring shoulder problem niggling at him. The Yorkshireman will gradually settle in more as the season progresses however, and it’s unfair to judge him too soon considering the revitalised City career Jack Grealish is having.  

The authority of Ruben Dias

A return to training for John Stones earlier this week will bolster the defensive options Pep Guardiola has at his disposal, but his absence hasn’t been as impactful as it could’ve thanks to the return of Ruben Dias.

The Portugal international has had a stop-start season, picking up a few minor injuries keeping him side-lined for sustained periods of time, but his return to action has been massive for Manchester City. Ruben Dias offers leadership like no other in defence, commanding his side and leading by example.

The maturity of Rico Lewis

The departure of Joao Cancelo last month left a hole in the full-back department, which Rico Lewis has filled perfectly. The 18-year-old is playing at such a high level consistently, operating as an inverted full-back and becoming a midfielder at times, demonstrating why Pep Guardiola is putting so much trust into him.

The Bury-born defender has seized his opportunity this season and surpassed all expectations, proving he isn’t simply just the next best thing after Joao Cancelo. The teenager has grown into this side and developed into an incredible prospect for Pep Guardiola’s side, with his emergence coming at a perfect time with age slowly creeping up to Kyle Walker.