Man City comfortably defeated the fourth-tier team in the FA Cup

(Football results) - Manchester City smoothly defeated Salford City 2-0 at Etihad, advancing to the following stage of the 2025/26 FA Cup.

In the early hours of February 15 (Vietnam time), Manchester City hosted fourth-tier Salford City at the Etihad Stadium in the 4th round of the 2025/26 FA Cup. Facing a much lower-ranked opponent, Pep Guardiola’s team had little trouble securing a 2-0 win, booking their spot in the next round.

Right from the kickoff, Manchester City quickly took control with a dominant possession rate. Salford City played deep, focusing on strong defense and physical challenges. In the 3rd minute, the visitors received an early yellow card when Nmai made a rough tackle on a City player. Man City’s sustained pressure paid off in the 6th minute. Reijnders overlapped down the wing for Aït-Nouri on the left flank, who then crossed the ball inside. Marmoush cut in and shot, the ball deflected off Dorrington and went straight into the net, giving the Etihad side a 1-0 lead.

After conceding, Salford City tried to respond through set pieces, but their corners posed little threat. Meanwhile, Man City kept the pressure mainly through long-range shots from Nico and Phil Foden. In the 22nd minute, the hosts suffered a blow as Alleyne was injured after a tackle inside the box, forcing Pep Guardiola to bring on McAidoo. Nevertheless, Man City maintained control of the game. The first half ended with a narrow 1-0 advantage for the home team.

In the second half, Man City stepped up the pace to settle the match early. Between the 49th and 55th minutes, Reijnders, Cherki, and Foden each had chances inside the box but failed to score. Salford City also had a few notable moments, especially Nmai’s close-range shot in the 60th minute, but goalkeeper Trafford made an excellent save to keep Man City ahead.

The persistent pressure from the Etihad side finally resulted in a second goal in the 81st minute. Cherki delivered a tricky cross from the left; the Salford goalkeeper parried it uncertainly, and Marc Guehi was there to tap in the rebound, extending the score to 2-0. In the remaining minutes, Man City created more chances but couldn’t add to their tally. In the end, Manchester City won 2-0 over Salford City, achieving their objective of progressing in the FA Cup.

Team news Man City vs Salford

• Man City:Savinho, Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, and Jérémy Doku are injured.
• Salford:Full squad available.

Expected lineups Man City vs Salford

• Man City:Donnarumma (GK), Nouri, Guehi, Dias, Nunes, O’Reilly, Rodri, Silva, Semenyo, Haaland, Foden.
• Salford:Young (GK), Turton, Dorrington, Garbutt, Butcher, Longelo, Woodburn, Grant, N’Mai, Graydon, Udoh.

Form & Head-to-head

• Man City form:In their last 5 matches, Man City won 4 and drew 1, scoring 12 goals and conceding 4.
• Salford form:In their last 5 matches, Salford won 3 and lost 2, scoring 6 goals and conceding 4.
• Head-to-head record:In the most recent match, Man City won 1, while Salford lost 1.