Man City win big in the third round of the FA Cup

Midfielder Phil Foden scored a brace, helping Manchester City beat visiting Huddersfield Town 5-0 to advance to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Midfielder Kevin de Bruyne played his second consecutive game coming off the bench, and this time he made his mark with a goal. In the 74th minute, he received a cross from the right wing, ran down to the byline, and chipped the ball over to his compatriot Jeremy Doku, who volleyed it from about 10 meters to seal a 5-0 victory for the home side. This was De Bruyne's 30th assist since the start of last season, despite having only played three games in all competitions this season.

Midfielder Kevin de Bruyne came on in the second half and received the captain's armband from Ruben Dias as Manchester City beat Huddersfield in the third round of the FA Cup at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on January 7, 2023. Photo: AFP — Midfielder Kevin de Bruyne came on in the second half and received the captain's armband from Ruben Dias as Manchester City beat Huddersfield in the third round of the FA Cup at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on January 7, 2023. Photo: *AFP*

De Bruyne continues to be the king of assists in Europe, and his return brought joy to the Etihad Stadium crowd. Coming on as a substitute for Julian Alvarez in the 57th minute, he received the captain's armband back from defender Ruben Dias. In the stands, thousands of fans stood up and applauded to welcome their captain. De Bruyne's return is crucial for Man City for the remainder of the season, as they still have a chance to repeat the treble.

However, the best player of the match was 24-year-old midfielder Phil Foden, with a brace. In the 33rd minute, he received a pass from Alvarez inside the penalty area, at a tight angle on the left. Despite being pressed by an opponent, the English midfielder controlled the ball cleanly and fired a quick shot into the top corner to open the scoring. In the 65th minute, he completed his brace with a curling shot from outside the penalty area into the bottom left corner, increasing the score to 4-0.

Huddersfield are fourth from bottom in the English Championship, so the difference between the two teams was evident on the pitch. The home side had 18 shots, nine times more than the visitors, and also held possession for 84% of the time despite the absence of midfielder Rodri. Man City's attacking players combined effectively in all five goals. The visitors' own goal was unlucky, but if Ben Jackson hadn't headed it into his own net, Oscar Bobb's cross could have reached De Bruyne in a clear position at the far post.

Man City won the biggest FA Cup third-round victory so far. However, the other three Premier League representatives who played today – West Ham, Luton Town, and Nottingham Forest – all drew with lower-league teams and will have to replay their matches. The highlight of the round is the clash between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium at 11:30 PM Hanoi time today.

Hoang An

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