Result: Cheltenham 1-3 Manchester City
Date: 23 January 2021
Venue: Jonny-Rocks Stadium
Manchester City survived a scare to book their spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup after coming from behind to beat League Two side Cheltenham Town 3-1 on Saturday evening.
Man City manager Pep Guardiola made wholesale changes, with Phil Foden the only suvivor from the side that beat Aston Villa but there was enough quality in the line-up, with the likes of Ferran Torres, Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus all starting.
Benjamin Mendy came very close to giving the visitors the lead in the 12th minute after bursting his way inside the box and unleashed a strike that beat goalkeeper Joshua Griffiths but Ben Tozer made a great recovery to clear his shot off the line.
City were creating plenty of chances and having strikes at goal but they were kept at bay the brilliance of Griffiths between the sticks and some desperate defending.
The game was interrupted five minutes before the break due to some fireworks going on in the nearby area, with the two teams going off the pitch, down the tunnel.
After the delat, Tozer came close to giving Cheltenham Town a shock lead in added time of the first stanza after leaping the highest at the near post to connect with a long throw-in but his header was tipped wide by shot-stopper Zack Steffen.
Jesus had a wonderful chance to break the deadlock for the Citizens ten minutes after the break after receiving a through ball from Foden but his shot crashed against the upright.
However, it was the League Two side who sensationally went ahead before the hour-mark courtesy of Alfie May's looping strike after latching onto a rebound from a long throw-in inside the box.
Mahrez had a great chance to net the equaliser for Guardiola's men in the last 20 minutes after going clear on goal but his right-footed shot was saved by Griffiths with his legs, in a one-on-one situation.
Foden eventually levelled matters for City in the last nine minutes with a volleyed effort at the back post after an inch-perfect cross by Joao Cancelo.
Jesus completed the turnaround for the Premier League giants six minutes before time after latching onto a through ball over the defence by Fernandinho, before Torres sealed the deal City in stoppage time with a tap-in at the near post after a cut-back by IIkay Gundogan.
