Aston Villa vs. Manchester City: Winners and Losers from FA Cup
Manchester City rolled into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a commanding 4-0 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday.
Kelechi Iheanacho was the star of the match for the Citizens as he continued his stellar cup form with a hat-trick that featured goals in the fourth, 24th and 73rd minutes. Raheem Sterling finished off the City victory with a strike from close range in the 75th minute.
Due to Villa's inability to stay strong in the back for 90 minutes and the constant pressure put on by Iheanacho, Sterling and Fernandinho, the result was locked up early in the second half.
The win kept City alive in four competitions, while Villa must now focus on the Premier League relegation battle.
Here's a look at our winners and losers from City's second consecutive road triumph in the FA Cup.
Winner: Kelechi Iheanacho
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With most of the attacking superstars out of the lineup, Iheanacho once again showed how much talent he has in front of goal by scoring a hat-trick at Villa Park.
The Nigerian forward started his terrific performance in the fourth minute as he wrapped his body around the ball and knocked in City's first strike from close range.
Twenty minutes later, Iheanacho stepped to the spot and drilled a shot into the left side of the net after Sterling earned a penalty.
The young forward finished off his stellar day in the final third in the 73rd minute as he pounced on a poor backpass from Idrissa Gana.
Iheanacho joined Sterling and Sergio Aguero as the only players to record a hat-trick for City this season, per OptaJoe.
If he continues to perform well in front of the net, Iheanacho may become a vital player not only in the chase for the FA Cup but also in other competitions.
Loser: Leandro Bacuna
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Leandro Bacuna's five-minute spell midway through the first half was full of errors and nonsense.
In the 23rd minute, Bacuna fouled Sterling in the box and conceded a penalty that led to the second City goal of the match.
A few minutes later, Bacuna made the situation worse as he got into it with Sterling after a tackle. Both players received yellow cards for the scrum.
While Bacuna may not have cost Villa the match with his actions, he certainly killed the momentum the Villains had built up after the first City strike.
With the FA Cup now out of reach, Bacuna and his teammates must turn their full focus to staying up in the Premier League.
Winner: Raheem Sterling
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Sterling finished off a strong day in attack with a strike in the 75th minute. The winger produced plenty of skill in the final third on Saturday, and he benefited from poor marking to net City's fourth.
The former Liverpool man contributed to the second City tally of the match and also drew a penalty against Bacuna.
Sterling remained active in the box throughout the match, and he had a pair of chances to finish off the match early in the second half, but he failed to convert.
If the City attack continues to look fluid thanks to the play of Sterling, Iheanacho and others, they have a good chance of making a deep run in the competition no matter who starts up top.
Loser: Idrissa Gana
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Gana's poor giveaway in the 73rd minute sealed Villa's fate in the competition. The 26-year-old midfielder played a poor backpass in the direction of the goal that was easily picked up by Iheanacho, who cruised in to score his third strike.
Gana's defensive lapse capped a rough defensive day for the Villains, who have suffered from poor defensive showings for most of the Premier League season.
To make matters worse for the hosts, they left Sterling unmarked as he surged in to score on a rebound in the 75th minute.
There's no doubt Villa's defending must get better in order for the club to stay up, but Saturday's match didn't convince many they are capable of rising up the Premier League table.
Winner: Fernandinho
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Iheanacho and Sterling will get all the press because of their goals, but Fernandinho also turned in a masterful performance in an advanced role in midfield.
The 30-year-old Brazilian helped push the City attack forward on numerous occasions, and he came close to finding the back of the net himself as well.
His final key involvement came in the 75th minute as his shot caused the ruckus in the box that led to Sterling's strike from close range.
Although he may not start in an advanced role for the rest of the season due to other players in the squad, Fernandinho displayed his versatility in the fairly easy FA Cup victory on Saturday.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
