FA Cup: Manchester City secure semi-final berth, defeat Middlesbrough 2-0

Silva opened the scoring sheet for Man City in the third minute following some sloppy defence from the home side.

Pablo Zabaleta hailed Man City’s creative spark in the FA Cup quarter-final triumph over Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough head coach Aitor Karanka: “When someone tells me we are in an very bad situation, for me, to be in the Premier League, to be in the quarter-finals, is an wonderful situation”. Avoiding relegation is his priority but Boro fans have clearly been engaged by the cup run and will be disappointed to be out.

Boro had no answer for Leroy Sane’s direct running and pace in particular, while Aguero produced a classy finish to get on the scoresheet.

As you’d expect, Pep Guardiola’s side took control of the contest from that point and had chances to double their advantage. Sane will learn to become more efficient, but he offered more than enough to help dominate Middlesbrough.

YAYA TOURE, Manchester City midfielder, on having to up their game against Middlesbrough, then Monaco, despite a leaner squad to call upon owing to injuries. “He has already come back in the training sessions with the team”.

Middlesbrough kept getting undone on either wing as Sane and Silva gave their markers a roasting and the home team’s goalkeeper Brad Guzan made a string of good saves. Against “Boro, both players were caught in possession a couple of times, with Stones taking too many risks once again”.

City remain in contention for three trophies with the season approaching its end, but will be happiest there were no injuries to make their Champions and Premier League pursuits any more hard.

Calum Chambers is still sidelined with a foot problem, and will be joined on the sidelines by Daniel Ayala, who limped off with a hamstring injury eight minutes into last weekend’s 2-0 Premier League defeat at Stoke. The teams at the bottom can shock you and they see you as a scalp, so you can’t afford to not be at your best.

If the match ends in a tie (90 minutes), extra time will be given to yield the result and penalties if needed.

Mark Ogden is a senior football writer for ESPN FC.