FLASH POINTS – Manchester City 7, Rotherham United 0 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
Manchester City give FA Cup due respect
Pep Guardiola named a very strong team for the FA Cup despite 8 changes.
Only Ederson, John Stones and Raheem Sterling retained their places from the Liverpool win.
Even so, the whole team were full internationals with the exception of 18-year-old Phil Foden who has England U21 caps.
Manchester City game held up by referee injury
No VAR stoppage but one of the assistant referees had to hold up the game to be replaced by Paul Marsden – the fourth official – after sustaining an injury.
Much of the delay was due to having to remove the radio wiring so it could be passed on.
Manchester City show vulnerability again
Ederson and John Stones mistakes could have ended in goals with sharper sides.
Stones with an undercooked backpass and Ederson a bit casual while trying to pass his way out of trouble under the close attention of Anthony Forde.
Coupled with former Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal’s dissection of their vulnerability to quick counter attacks there is still hope for clubs who go up against them and dare to dream.
Phil Foden scores his first goal at the Etihad Stadium
It’s never going to go down as a classic – a miscontrolled cross that went in off his knee – but his first goal at the Etihad in his first FA Cup fixture is another step on the road for Stockport-born Phil Foden.
Debut for Philippe Sandler
Not exactly a difficult game for the 21-year-old Dutch defender who replaced Kevin De Bruyne and played the a deep lying defensive midfield role. He only signed from PEC Zwolle in the summer but a chance to show what he can do.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 7, Rotherham United 0 (FA Cup 3rd Round)
Ederson: 7. Had a hairy moment early on with an undercooked John Stones back pass and had to be helped out by Stones after underestimating Anthony Forde’s tenacity. Saved Rotherham’s first shot on target with 2 minutes to go from Michael Smith.
Kyle Walker: 7. Put Sterling through for one of his early chances. Had a late effort of his own saved. Not defensively tested.
John Stones: 7. A bit casual early on, almost put Ederson in trouble but returned the favour as the Brazilian tried to play it out against Anthony Forde and almost lost the ball.
Nicolas Otamendi: 8. Some meaty long balls for the Argentine to deal with and got himself on the scoresheet with a powerful header.
Oleksandr Zinchenko: 7. His flank was targeted by Rotherham on their few attacks forward early on. Spent more time in attack as City extended their lead and the visitors faded.
Kevin De Bruyne: 7. some great early touches and produced a killer pass to put Raheem Sterling through for City’s first goal. Constantly tested the Rotherham defence with balls into the danger zone before going off for a rest.
Ilkay Gundogan: 8. Anchored the midfield instead of Fernandinho but didn’t need to do much defending. Put a variety of crosses into the Rotherham box and one was converted by Foden for a goal. Ended up with 4 assists in the end, laying on for Mahrez, Otamendi and Sane as City ran away with the game in the second half.
Phil Foden: 7. Up for the Cup, the midfielder battled for the ball with good improvisation to almost set up a chance for himself before he scored his first goal, albeit a scrappy one, at the Etihad Stadium.
Riyad Mahrez: 7. Got in on the goalscoring action when his crosses were not being converted.
Gabriel Jesus: 7. Unlucky with early attempt on goal. a header from De Bruyne’s cross that came off the bar. Another attempt was blocked after De Bruyne crossed for him again. Finally got a deserved goal when Sterling outran his full back and cut the ball back for a very easy tap-in early in the second half. He never gave up but could have had more goals today with a colder eye for goal.
Raheem Sterling: 8. Was denied several times by stout defending before grabbing the opening City goal when put through by Kevin De Bruyne. Terrorised the Rotherham defence, forcing Semi Ajayi into a panicked lunge at the ball to score an own goal, before getting a rest.
Leroy Sane (on for Raheem Sterling, 57): 7. The last thing Rotherham defenders wanted to see. His corner almost went in off Zak Vyner but for a save from Marek Rodak and he arrowed in City’s 7th goal after exchanging passes with Ilkay Gundogan.
Philippe Sandler (on for Kevin De Bruyne 67): 6. Slotted into the defensive midfield role, allowing Ilkay Gundogan go further forward to devastating effect.
Danilo (on for John Stones 75): 6. Comfortably saw out the game.
GOALS – Manchester City 7, Rotherham United 0
Man City 1, Rotherham Utd 0: 12. Raheem Sterling was through from the left, exchanged passes with Kevin De Bruyne and slotted home from a more central position 8 yards out.
Man City 2, Rotherham Utd 0: 43. Phil Foden scored his first FA Cup goal. He miscontrolled Ilkay Gundogan’s lofted pass into the area but the ball came back off his knee and beat Marek Rodak in the Rotherham goal from 6 yards out for his first goal at the Etihad Stadium.
Man City 3, Rotherham Utd 0: 45+1. Semi Ajayi put though his own goal from 5 yards out while sliding in to try and deflect Kyle Walker’s low cross from reaching Raheem Sterling.
Man City 4, Rotherham Utd 0: 53. Raheem Sterling left Zak Vyner trailing as he raced to the touchline and cut the ball back for Gabriel Jesus to tap in from 4 yards out.
Man City 5, Rotherham Utd 0: 73. Riyad Mahrez exchanged passes with Ilkay Gundogan before firing in low past Rodak from 12 yards out.
Man City 6, Rotherham Utd 0: 78. Nicolas Otamendi powerfully headed City’s 6th goal from 7 yards out from Ilkay Gundogan’s corner.
Man City 7, Rotherham Utd 0: 85. Leroy Sane exchanged passes with Gundogan and his right footed shot from the edge of the area took a deflection to wrongfoot the luckless Rodak and make it 7 for City
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 7, Rotherham United 0
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Stones (Danilo 75), Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne (Sandler 67), Gundogan, Foden, Mahrez, Jesus, Sterling (Sane 57)
Man City Subs not used: Muric, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho
Booked: Sterling 35
Goals: Sterling 12, Foden 43, Ajayi (og) 45+1, Jesus 53, Mahrez 73, Otamendi 78
Rotherham Utd: Rodak, Vyner (Wood 89), Ajayi, Robertson, Mattock, Taylor Raggett 74), Vaulks, Williams (Palmer 89), Forde, Wiles, Smith
Rotherham Utd Subs not used: Price, Newell, Jones
Booked: Wiles 24