FA Cup 2024-25: Nico O’Reilly scores brace as Manchester City beats Plymouth Argyle 3-1

FA Cup 2024-25: Nico O’Reilly scores brace as Manchester City beats Plymouth Argyle 3-1

Manchester City survived an FA Cup scare for the second straight game as it beat second-tier struggle Plymouth Argyle 3-1 to reach the quarterfinal on Saturday.

Teenager Nico O’Reilly saved City’s blushes with two headed goals after Maksym Talovierov had sent thousands of visiting fans into delirium by heading Plymouth into the lead.

Plymouth was unable to emulate its shock victory over Premier League leader Liverpool in the fourth round and City will now be big favourite to win the Cup for the third time under Pep Guardiola.

City also had to come from behind to beat third-tier Leyton Orient in the previous round.

O’Reilly headed home a Kevin de Bruyne cross in first-half stoppage time and City laid siege to Plymouth’s goal in the second period before O’Reilly again was in the right place to head De Bruyne’s corner into the net in the 76th minute.

“Two goals from left back, I wasn’t really expecting that,” 19-year-old O’Reilly, who also scored in the 8-0 win over Salford City in the third round, told the BBC.

“Going into halftime 1-0 down would have been tough but (the first goal) lifted the spirits,” he added.

De Bruyne rounded off an impressive display by making absolutely sure of City’s progress in the final minute with a tap-in after Erling Haaland had been denied.

The FA Cup is Premier League champion City’s last chance for silverware this season after stumbling badly in the domestic league and crashing out of the Champions League to Real Madrid.

Plymouth is second-bottom of the Championship but held its own against City with a display every bit as gritty as in its stunning victory over Liverpool.