January 27, (THEWILL) – Manchester City ended their goalscoring drought at Tottenham Hotspur’s home ground on Saturday, beating Spurs 1-0 to advance to the FA Cup fifth round. Defender Nathan Ake bundled home a late winner to break City’s five-game scoreless streak at the grounds of the north London club.
Despite chances for the likes of Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne, the English Premier League champions struggled to break down a resilient Tottenham defence. Both sides rang in the changes, with stars like Heung-Min Son and Erling Haaland missing. But it was the introduction of De Bruyne in the second half that ultimately unlocked the Spurs backline.
The Belgian playmaker’s inch-perfect corner found Ake unmarked at the back post with two minutes remaining. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario flapped, and Ake nudged the ball home from close range. Guardiola leapt from the dugout, his side finally able to celebrate a goal on their recent bogey ground.
For Tottenham, it means another FA Cup exit and a possible continuation of their 16-year trophy drought should they finish the season empty-handed. Manager Ange Postecoglou will be disappointed his changes, including the returning James Maddison, failed to inspire a comeback.
It sets up a fifth round trip to Bristol City as Pep Guardiola’s ruthless squad continue their quest for yet more silverware. After Ake’s late show, the trophy cabinet surely beckons again.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
