Manchester City qualified for the fourth round in the FA Cup, by defeating Chelsea 4-0.
Sharjah 24 – Asaad Khalil:
Manchester City renewed its victory over Chelsea, sweeping it 4-0 on Sunday, including a double by Algerian Riyad Mahrez, at Al-Ittihad Stadium, to cross into the fourth round of the FA Cup.
And he took turns scoring goals with Mahrez from a wonderful free kick (23), Argentine Julian Alvares from a penalty kick (30), and Phil Foden (38) before the Algerian concluded the festival with a penalty kick (85).
City defeated its host, Chelsea, in its stronghold in London, 1-0, on Thursday, with a goal by Mahrez, in the nineteenth stage of the league, inflicting it with the sixth defeat in the Premier League this season, noting that it also knocked it out earlier in the season from the third round of the League Cup.
Coach Graham Potter’s team is suffering this season, as it ranks tenth, 10 points away from the first places to qualify for the Champions League.
And Chelsea settled for one victory in four matches in all competitions since the competition resumed following the Qatar World Cup, and it was once morest Bournemouth in the league late last year.
For his part, City achieved its fourth victory in five matches in all competitions, as it stumbled once during the tie with Everton in the league.
And following Liverpool eliminated from the fourth round of the League Cup “3-2”, it is preparing to face its host Southampton on Wednesday in the quarter-finals, before defeating its rival and neighbor United in the Manchester derby next Saturday in the league, knowing that four points separate the second and fourth place holders.
City, in the absence of its Norwegian top scorer Erling Haaland, and Belgian playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, dominated the first half, and Mahrez himself got a free kick on the right side outside the area following being blocked by Louis Hall, which he translated wonderfully with his left into the top left corner of the goal of the Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arisabalaga “23 “.
And the German Kai Havertz caused a penalty kick, following a handball that Alvares made, and hit it to the right of Arisabalaga, who was close to stopping it (30).
Foden scored the third for the landlords with a wonderful collective goal following a distinguished exchange of the ball between the players, as a result of which it reached Mahrez on the right side, and from him to Kyle Walker, who came from behind, followed by a cross to Foden in the middle of the area, which hit the net “38”.
Mahrez scored the fourth goal for the Spanish coach, Pep Guardiola, from a penalty kick that Foden obtained following being blocked by Senegalese defender Khalido Coulibaly (85).
Sunday also qualified for the fourth round, Stevenage, which surprised Aston Villa with two late goals, “2-1”, Derby County, Stoke City, Blackburn Rovers and Walsall.
Before the City match, the draw for the fourth round, which will be held between January 27 and 30, was held, and it came as follows:
Manchester United – Reading
Manchester City – Arsenal or Oxford United
Preston North End – Tottenham
Southampton – Blackpool
Wrexham – Sheffield United
Ipswich Town – Burnley
Luton Town or Wigan Athletic – Grimsby Town
Derby County – West Ham United
Stoke City – Stevenage
Blackburn Rovers – Forest Green Rovers or Birmingham City
Walsall – Leicester City
Sheffield Wednesday – Fleetwood Town
Bristol City or Swansea City – Chesterfield or West Bromwich Albion
Brighton – Liverpool or Wolverhampton
Fulham – Sunderland
Boreham Wood or Accrington Stanley – Cardiff City or Leeds United
