Manchester City cruised into the semi-finals of the FA Cup with minimal difficulty thanks to a 2-0 win over Newcastle United in Saturday's quarter-final at the Etihad.
A pair of deflected strikes from Bernardo Silva in the first half punched the holders' ticket to Wembley, and while Eddie Howe's men showed flashes of quality in the final third, it was an otherwise toothless display from the beleaguered Magpies.
Owing to Kevin De Bruyne's absence with a groin injury, which has also ruled the playmaker out of Belgium's international fixtures this month, Mateo Kovacic earned promotion to the Citizens' XI as one of a handful of alterations.
Meanwhile, Howe opted against throwing caution to the wind with a conservative 5-3-2 system, which quickly came under siege and was unlocked with just 13 minutes on the board, as Silva's strike from the right-hand side of the area deflected off of Dan Burn's leg and looped over Martin Dubravka.
Howe's men reacted well to Silva's fortuitous opener, albeit without giving Stefan Ortega anything to think about in between the sticks, and City's diminutive Portuguese got the rub of the green again in the 31st minute.
Taking the ball on the right-hand side again, Silva cut inside and let fly with a curling left-footed strike, which would have been meat and drink for Dubravka if not for a nick off of the head of Sven Botman, which deceived his goalkeeper and helped the ball on its way in.
Another deflection, another Bernardo Silva goal! 😮#BBCFootball #FACup pic.twitter.com/4pPW9nL8AU
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 16, 2024
Dubravka let rip at his defenders after Silva's second fortunate goal of the day, although one of them nearly helped the Magpies cut the deficit in half in the 36th minute as Burn headed down for Alexander Isak, but with plenty of time inside the box, the Swede did not get enough purchase on his half-volley and could not beat Ortega.
The German's opposite number was then required on two occasions to deny the holders their third in the dying embers, closing the angle on Jeremy Doku before holding onto a Ruben Dias header in the 45th minute, as City declared at two at the end of the half.
The hosts quickly resumed their quest for a more emphatic victory, as Doku's strike from a tight angle in the 48th minute forced Dubravka into a fine reaction stop, before Erling Haaland stormed through the middle and curled wide in the 52nd minute.
Sloppiness in both thirds was hindering the Magpies' hopes of a fightback, although a gilt-edged chance passed them by in the 67th minute as Silva lost possession in a dangerous area, but after the visitors worked the ball to Isak, he could not take it under his control and the opportunity went begging.
Isak still managed to force a corner, but Botman's header was always rising, and as the rain hammered down in Manchester, Newcastle's hopes of a Wembley sojourn began to evaporate.
Still on course for back-to-back trebles, the holders join Coventry City in the semis following the Robins' shock beating of Wolverhampton Wanderers, while two of Chelsea, Leicester City, Liverpool and Manchester United will advance to Wembley on Sunday.
Man City's first game back after the international break sees Pep Guardiola's side host Arsenal on March 31 in a blockbuster Premier League showdown, one day after Newcastle host West Ham United in the lunchtime top-flight kickoff.
Ben Knapton
