Manchester City defeats Spurs in the FA Cup thanks to a late strike from Nathan Ake

Manchester City secured a 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup Fourth Round, advancing to the Fifth Round for the ninth consecutive season thanks to Nathan Ake’s late goal. Despite Oscar Bobb having a goal disallowed due to being marginally offside early in the game, City, who had never previously scored at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, displayed a strong start. Bernardo Silva and Mateo Kovacic both had shots blocked as they created pressure. Despite Spurs attempting to counter, they struggled to find the crucial pass at key moments in the match. Pep Guardiola’s team ultimately sealed the win and progressed in the competition.

As the half-hour mark passed, Manchester City faced fewer opportunities, but occasional scares for Tottenham Hotspur arose due to City’s pressing, notably when Guglielmo Vicario was forced to play the ball out of play by Julian Alvarez. A technical issue led to a lengthy delay for referee Paul Tierney, yet the intensity resumed after the restart, with Oscar Bobb’s attempt thwarted by a determined block from Pedro Porro.

Bobb continued to play a role in creating opportunities early in the second half. However, Micky van de Ven and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg made crucial blocks to deny attempts from Alvarez and Josko Gvardiol, respectively. Goalkeeper Ortega showcased his skills by stopping a shot from Johnson at the other end before Tottenham sought to regain control with the introductions of Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku just after the hour mark.

The hosts received a boost with the return of James Maddison from the bench, marking his first minutes since sustaining an injury in November.

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Despite missed opportunities from Silva and De Bruyne to secure the winning goal, Nathan Ake, who had previously scored the decisive goal against Arsenal at this stage in the last FA Cup season, managed to tap the ball over the line after an unconvincing punch from Vicario. This victory marked Manchester City’s 12th consecutive away win in the FA Cup, as they strive to achieve the feat of winning the competition in consecutive seasons, a feat last accomplished by Arsenal in 2014/15. On the other hand, Tottenham Hotspur failed to progress beyond this stage for the first time in the last five campaigns.