Manchester City defeated Salford City 2-0 in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday at the Etihad Stadium. The match began with promise when Salford defender Alfie Dorrington turned Rayan Aït-Nouri's sixth-minute cross into his own net, but City failed to build on the early advantage despite dominating possession.
Pep Guardiola made nine changes to his lineup, giving opportunities to fringe players while resting key starters. John Stones made his first appearance since early December after recovering from a thigh injury, playing 65 minutes before being substituted. Omar Marmoush had a goal incorrectly ruled offside in the first half due to the absence of VAR technology at this stage of the competition.
Salford, sitting sixth in League Two under manager Karl Robinson, defended resiliently and created several genuine scoring opportunities. Goalkeeper James Trafford made crucial saves to preserve City's lead, including denying Ben Woodburn from close range. Guardiola was forced to bring on first-team regulars Rodri, Antoine Semenyo, and Marc Guéhi from the bench to secure the result. Guéhi, who joined City from Crystal Palace in January for £20 million, scored his first goal for the club in the 81st minute to seal the victory.
After the match, Guardiola openly criticized the performance, stating the game was "boring" and his team failed to read the spaces properly. The result advances City to the fifth round, though the performance raised questions about squad depth and form, particularly for Phil Foden who was substituted after an ineffective display.
