Pep Guardiola’s side moved into the fifth round with a 1-0 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Nathan Ake’s 88th strike from close range settled the tie to give City a deserved win as we look to defend the trophy.
Here are some of the best stats from a fantastic victory…
PEP’S WISH COMES TRUE
After our incredible Treble season, Guardiola was asked what he had left to achieve and joked: “Score a goal against Spurs away. It’s why I stay: I want to beat Spurs away.”
It was a remarkable anomaly in a period of such huge success, that our first five visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium resulted in five defeats and no goals.
After more than 550 minutes and 101 shots, the magic moment finally arrived.
Ake’s goal won’t make many highlights reels but it was a huge contribution and follows his winner at the same stage against Arsenal last season.
SPURS SHUTDOWN
City were effective in stopping Tottenham’s attacking threat with Ange Postecoglu’s side only having one shot over the full match.
They failed to register a single shot in the first half of a home match for the first time in any competition since February 2020.
Stefan Ortega Moreno was quick off his line to snuff out the home side’s best opportunity when he stopped Brennan Johnson getting away a clear shot.
The German keeper has a wonderful record in the FA Cup having been beaten only once in 675 minutes, and that was the controversial penalty by Bruno Fernandes in City’s 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the 2023 final at Wembley.
PASS MASTERS
Our success was built around a patience on the ball with City having 57% possession and making 602 passes to Tottenham’s 466.
City’s midfield helped maintain control with Mateo Kovacic and Rodrigo in the middle of the pitch having the most touches with 100 and 91 respectively.
Kovacic made the most passes with 76 at a 92% success rate, just ahead of his team-mate with 74 with a success rate of 93%.
But the Spaniard made the most key passes with four of 14 from the visitors, compared to only key pass from Spurs.
CUP RUN
City have now made at least the fifth round of the FA Cup in the last nine seasons and each campaign under Guardiola.
Our current 12-game winning streak away from home in the FA Cup is the longest such run in the competition’s history, with our last defeat on the road back in February 2018.
Indeed that defeat at Wigan six years ago was our last defeat away from Wembley, with 26 victories from our last 29 matches in the competition, with the three losses coming at the national stadium.
City have not last away Tottenham in the FA Cup since 1935 although this was only our second tie away. The other being the famous 4-3 turnaround in 2004.
