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Man City into FA Cup quarters with record 15th straight win

It’s 15 straight victories and counting for Pep Guardiola’s irrepressible team, which has another domestic treble in its sights.

One of the most relentless schedules in the history of English soccer hasn’t stopped Manchester City putting together a record-setting run of wins.

It’s 15 straight victories and counting for Pep Guardiola’s irrepressible team, which has another domestic treble in its sights.

By beating second-tier Swansea 3-1 to reach the FA Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday, City broke the record for most consecutive wins in all competitions by a top-flight team, a mark that had lasted for nearly 130 years. Preston won 14 in a row in 1892 and that was later matched by Arsenal’s class of 1987.

City has gone one better during a pandemic, when matches in the Premier League or domestic cup competitions are being played every three or four days to fit them into a condensed season that started a month later than usual.

Indeed, by also advancing last month to the English League Cup final, City has played every weekend and midweek since Nov. 21 except for an eight-day break from Dec. 26-Jan. 3 during which the team’s training ground was closed because of a coronavirus outbreak. The number of first-team players to test positive ran into double figures.

“That means a lot in this toughest period, in the Christmas and winter time,” said Guardiola, whose side leads the Premier League by five points with a game in hand. “To do what we have done in this time is quite remarkable.”

Guardiola earned his 200th win in 268 games in charge of the team.

City won 20 straight games in all competitions from August-December 2017, also under Guardiola, but one of those victories came in a penalty shootout in the League Cup after a 0-0 draw after extra time.

Also advancing to the last eight was Sheffield United, a 1-0 winner against second-tier Bristol City, and Leicester, which beat Brighton by the same score thanks to Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

EASY FOR CITY

In the 2018-19 season, City became the first English team to achieve the domestic treble, beating Swansea en route to winning the FA Cup that year by coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in the quarterfinals.

City didn’t need to produce anything as dramatic this time, taking the lead in the 30th when Kyle Walker’s low cross into the penalty area was missed by the sliding Ferran Torres at the near post and ended up creeping inside the far post.

Rodri played in Raheem Sterling to double the advantage in the 47th, before Gabriel Jesus controlled a header across goal by Bernardo Silva and slammed in a left-footed shot three minutes later.

Morgan Whittaker grabbed a consolation for Swansea, which included two United States internationals — Jordan Morris, who made his first start, and Paul Arriola, who made his debut as a second-half substitute following his loan move from D.C. United. Their U.S. teammate, Zeck Steffen, played in goal for City.

Everton was hosting Tottenham in the late game Wednesday.

Manchester United and Bournemouth advanced to the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

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UCL: MAN CITY’S CLASH WITH BORRUSIA MONCHEGLADBACH MOVED TO BUDAPEST.

Manchester City’s Champions League tie away to Borussia Monchengladbach will be played in Budapest due to travel restrictions imposed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Premier League leaders will follow Liverpool in travelling to the Hungarian capital to face German opposition, with City’s round-of-16 first-leg match on February 24 to be played at the Puskas Arena.

Liverpool are due to play RB Leipzig at the same venue eight days earlier.

A ban on foreign nationals arriving into Germany is due to expire on February 17, a day after Liverpool’s match, but the restrictions are expected to be extended, leading Gladbach to seek alternatives for their own fixture.

A UEFA statement said: “UEFA can confirm that the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 first-leg match between Borussia VfL 1900 Monchengladbach and Manchester City FC will now take place at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.

“The date of the match (24 February 2021) and kick-off time (21:00CET) will remain the same.

“UEFA would like to thank Borussia VfL 1900 Monchengladbach and Manchester City FC for their close cooperation and support, as well as the Hungarian Football Federation for their assistance and agreeing to host the match in question.”

Leipzig are due at Anfield for their return leg on March 10, while Gladbach are scheduled to travel to the Etihad Stadium on March 16.

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HORROR DAY FOR ALLISON BECKER AS CITY THRASH LIVERPOOL AT ANFIELD

Liverpool’s title defence appears to have ended at the feet of goalkeeper Alisson Becker as two awful errors gifted Manchester City a 4-1 victory at Anfield.

With the match evenly-poised at 1-1 with 17 minutes remaining the Brazil international’s errant passing presented the league leaders with two goals – including Raheem Sterling’s first at Anfield since leaving in 2015.

Alisson was back in the team after missing the midweek defeat to Brighton with illness but he will be sick when he watches back his part in City’s first victory on this ground since 2003 and only their second in 34 visits.

Mohamed Salah’s 63rd-minute penalty – ending a home goal drought nine minutes short of seven hours – had cancelled out the opener from Ilkay Gundogan, who redeemed himself after missing from the spot in the first half.

Alisson then scuffed a pass straight to Phil Foden, who drove forward and crossed for Gundogan to make it nine goals in his last 11 league matches.

Worse was to follow as the Brazilian then repeated the error even closer to goal with Bernardo Silva teeing up Sterling to nod home his 100th goal for Pep Guardiola, with Foden adding the finishing touches late on.

Victory extended City’s winning run to 14 matches and left Liverpool 10 points beind having played one match more and even in this season of surprises a comeback from that position seems unlikely.

It meant Gundogan’s penalty miss late in the first half, City’s third this season and their third in four attempts in this fixture – and Guardiola kicking a bucket in frustration were distant memories.

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JESUS EARLY GOAL HELP CITY SEE OFF STUBBORN SHEFFIELD.

Gabriel Jesus ended a run of nine matches without a goal as his early strike was enough for Manchester City to beat Sheffield United.

The Brazilian put City ahead on nine minutes, tapping in after good work from Ferran Torres.

The league leaders controlled possession but struggled to threaten in the first half beyond Bernardo Silva’s header straight at Aaron Ramsdale.

City created more in the second half, with Ruben Dias heading wide from Ilkay Gundogan’s corner, while Oleksandr Zinchenko’s shot from distance was well saved.

Sheff Utd stayed in touch and almost produced a late equaliser when John Fleck’s shot fizzed narrowly wide.

At the other end Ramsdale denied Jesus a second goal with a superb save in added time.

City’s eighth successive victory keeps them top on 44 points, four clear of Manchester United ahead of their match with Arsenal.

Sheff Utd stay bottom on eight points.

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MANCITY THRASH WESTBROM 5-0 TO GO TOP OF THE TABLE.

Manchester City swept aside West Bromwich Albion 5-0 in impressive style to become a record ninth different overnight leader of the Premier League this season.

Phil Foden had a shot tipped on to the post by goalkeeper Sam Johnstone before Ilkay Gundogan scored for the third successive match to put them ahead.

Joao Cancelo doubled the lead with a curling strike before Gundogan scored his second of the match.

Riyad Mahrez made it four on the stroke of half-time with a fierce shot from the right-hand side of the penalty area.

The Algerian turned provider early in the second half as he played the ball across the six-yard box for Raheem Sterling to tap home the fifth.

City have 41 points, one ahead of Manchester United, who play on Wednesday, while West Brom stay 19th on 11 points, six adrift of 17th-placed Brighton.

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GUARDIOLA SAYS THERE WON’T BE JANUARY SIGNINGS AT CITY THIS SEASON.

Pep Guardiola has said Manchester City will not be making any new signings in the January transfer window.

After a slow start to the season, City have hit form in recent weeks and have climbed to second in the Premier League after a run of five successive wins.

Their growing momentum has also seen them reach the final of the Carabao Cup, the fourth round of the FA Cup and the last 16 of the Champions League.

The only notable area of weakness this term has been at centre forward, with both Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus missing a large number of games due to injuries and coronavirus-related self-isolation.

With no specialist senior back-up, Guardiola’s alternatives have been deploying winger Ferran Torres as a makeshift striker, Kevin De Bruyne or Raheem Sterling as ‘false nines’ or giving a chance to 17-year-old Liam Delap.

But Guardiola told beIN Sports: “We will not sign any deal during the winter transfer market. We did not discuss this, but we will end the season with the players that we have now.”

Guardiola accepts there have been times when the lack of a centre forward has been noticeable, but he is convinced there is enough quality in the squad to ensure it is not a major issue.

This is one of our ways,” he said. “There were matches where we needed an attacker but at that time two of them were injured.

“One had been injured for a long time – Sergio Aguero. The other two had the coronavirus.

“That’s why we sometimes play in this way, other times we are forced to do that because of a pressing need.

“It’s an alternative plan, which we can rely on given the talents we have in the various positions.”

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STONES’ DOUBLE HELP CITY MAUL CRYSTAL PALACE AS PEP’S MEN CLIMB UP TO SECOND.

Centre-back John Stones scored his first league goals for Manchester City as his side beat Crystal Palace 4-0 to go second in the Premier League table.

City dominated the early proceedings and Stones headed in Kevin De Bruyne’s sublime outside-of-the-boot cross after 26 minutes.

Gabriel Jesus had a good chance to extend their lead shortly before half-time but his header lacked the power needed to beat Vicente Guaita.

Ilkay Gundogan’s powerful effort from 20 yards doubled City’s lead after the break before Stones reacted quickest to Guaita’s parry to score again with 22 minutes remaining.

Raheem Sterling completed the scoring with a spectacular free-kick as City recorded a fifth straight Premier League victory.

The result sees them leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Leicester City into second, two points behind leaders Manchester United with a match in hand.

Palace stay 13th with 23 points from 19 matches.

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FODEN ON TARGET AS MANCITY BEAT BRIGHTON 1-0 TO CLIMB UP TO THIRD.

Phil Foden’s strike proved enough to secure a 1-0 victory for Manchester City against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Pep Guardiola’s men were on top early on, with Kevin De Bruyne denied three times by Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and Riyad Mahrez miscuing a volley.

With half-time approaching, Foden made the breakthrough when he eased a clever side-footed shot into the bottom corner.

City continued to dominate but were profligate.

Mahrez went close again after a fine pass from Rodrigo, Ilkay Gundogan and De Bruyne were denied by Sanchez, and Bernardo Silva hit the bar.

Brighton came close when a fierce strike by Alexis Mac Allister whistled narrowly over.

In stoppage time, substitute Raheem Sterling blazed a penalty over the crossbar after De Bruyne had been brought down by Sanchez.

Man City are third with 32 points, level with Leicester City and Everton. Brighton are 17th with 14 points.

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AGUERO GOES INTO ISOLATION AS CLOSE CONTACT IS COVID-19 POSITIVE.

Sergio Aguero missed Manchester City’s FA Cup third-round victory over Birmingham after being asked to self-isolate, manager Pep Guardiola has revealed.

City had hoped to include their record goalscorer in their starting line-up for the first time since October in Sunday’s tie at the Etihad Stadium as he returns to fitness following knee trouble.

Plans had to be changed, however, when it was discovered the Argentinian has been a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.

Guardiola was unsure how long the player would be absent for and if he would be available for Wednesday’s Premier League clash against Brighton, even if he returned a negative test.

The City boss said: “Unfortunately he was in contact, more than usual, with one person who is positive. That is why he must isolate for a few days.

“I don’t know [how long for] exactly because, like all of us, he has been tested six times in last 10-15 days.

“He is negative. Today he is negative too but the protocol says in some cases they must isolate. In others we are still in touch and playing football.

“Unfortunately he could not play today.”

Aguero’s presence was hardly required as City eased to a 3-0 victory over their Championship opponents with an early double from Bernardo Silva and a further strike from Phil Foden. All three goals came inside the first 33 minutes and effectively ended the game as a contest.

Guardiola said: “Yes the first objective was done – qualify for next round. We did it with a really good first half.

“We made nice goals. I am happy for Bernardo. He made two goals and could have scored more. The first half was really good.

“In the second half they changed the set-up. We struggled a little bit to find our spaces but we are in the next round.”

The victory came four days after City, the 2019 FA Cup winners, reached the Carabao Cup final for a fourth successive year.

Guardiola said: “If you follow the trajectory for our team, we don’t drop one competition. That is why we are in finals four times in a row in the Carabao Cup and why we won the FA Cup two seasons ago.”

It was only when City eased off in the second half that Birmingham began to create any openings.

Substitute Jeremie Bela twice tested goalkeeper Zack Steffen and shot narrowly over in the latter stages but prior to that the visitors were unable to make an impression.

Manager Aitor Karanka, whose side have now lost six of their last seven games, said: “We finished the game in the way we should have started.

“We were not as aggressive as we should have been but in the second half everything changed. We approached it much better. I wanted to play 90 minutes in the way we played the last 45.

The main thing when you are coming to this kind of game is to be aggressive and strong. If you allow them to play, if you are jogging behind the ball instead of being aggressive, the only thing that can happen is what happened.

“I was pleased when I saw their first XI because it meant Pep respected us. We wanted to do something here. We showed the second half we should have been more aggressive from the beginning.”

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MANCITY BEAT MANCHESTER UNITED TO REACH CARABAO CUP FINAL.

Pep Guardiola dedicated Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Manchester United to reach a fourth consecutive League Cup final on Wednesday to the family of Colin Bell, a day after the City great died aged 74. John Stones and Fernandinho were the unlikely goalscorers for Guardiola’s men, who will face Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham in the final at Wembley on April 25.

Bell scored 152 goals in 492 appearances for City during a 13-year career in which he won five major trophies. City players warmed up in number eight shirts in honour of Bell’s old number.

A minute’s silence was held before kick-off with Bell’s former teammate Mike Summerbee reduced to tears as he watched on from the stands.

“That’s for him and his family. This person helps to build something for this club,” said Guardiola.

“It is an incredible victory for us to beat United away and reach another final and, especially today, it is for him.”

City now have the chance to equal Liverpool’s record between 1981 and 1984 of winning four successive League Cups.

“I know the Carabao (League) Cup is not the Champions League but four times a row is incredible,” added Guardiola. “I’m so impressed with the quality of this team.”

Mourinho was United boss the last time they lifted a trophy in 2017 and the Red Devils’ wait for silverware under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer goes on as they lost a fourth semi-final in the past two seasons.

“It’s not psychological, sometimes you meet good teams in the semis,” said Solskjaer, whose side also lost to City at this stage of the competition last season.

“We met the best team in England and for me we didn’t have enough today.

“But we’re getting closer. This is a much better Manchester United compared to a year ago in those semis, that’s positive but not enough.”

Both sides have hauled themselves back into contention for the Premier League title in recent weeks, but neither manager took the opportunity to rest key players as both made just two changes from the weekend.

Any fears of a repeat of the goalless draw between the sides last month in the league were quickly dispelled as both had goals ruled out inside the first five minutes.

Stones breathed a sigh of relief when his own goal was chalked off for offside by Marcus Rashford in the build-up before Ilkay Gundogan was also denied by the offside flag.

Zack Steffen was deputising for first-choice goalkeeper Ederson, who was one of City’s absentees due to a coronavirus outbreak, and the American produced an incredible save to deny Bruno Fernandes his 16th goal of the season with a curling effort that was destined for the top corner.

City looked more like their old selves in a thrilling first-half performance to blow away Chelsea on Sunday and they were inches away from the opener thanks to a stunning move that started deep inside their own half and ended with Kevin De Bruyne smashing against the post from the edge of the area.

The deadlock was finally broken five minutes into the second half when Stones cushioned in Foden’s free-kick with his thigh for his first goal in three years.

The England international’s poor form saw him fall down the pecking order in recent seasons, but City have now kept nine clean sheets in the 11 games Stones has started this season as he has formed a formidable partnership with Ruben Dias.

City’s issues this season have been at the other end and they again failed to make the most of their chances in the second half.

Joao Cancelo’s piledriver flew just over before Dean Henderson made fine saves to deny Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez.

However, Henderson could only watch as Fernandinho volleyed into the bottom corner after United failed to clear a corner for his first goal in two years, seven minutes from time.