Man City 2-0 Salford City Player Ratings: Pep Guardiola's Side Comfortably Overcome FA Cup Challenge

Manchester City have punched their tickets to the next round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win over Salford City at the Etihad Stadium. Check out Man City vs Salford City player ratings in this article.

City took the lead early. A cross caused problems in the Salford box. Defender Alfie Dorrington put the ball into his own net after six minutes. The early goal set the tone asCity controlled possession. They passed the ball with confidence, while Salford were forced to defend deep.

Rayan Cherki was City’s key player. He created chances throughout the game. His passing troubled the visitors. Salford showed spirit. They tried to respond. Ben Woodburn had a strong shot saved by goalkeeper James Trafford.

City remained calm. They kept pressing for a second goal. It arrived late in the match. Substitute Marc Guéhi scored in the 81st minute. The goal ended Salford’s hopes. City saw out the game with ease and ensured their place in the FA Cup next round.

Man City Player Ratings vs Salford City

Here are Man City player ratings from the match against Salford City:

Goalkeeper

James Trafford - 7.0: A quiet afternoon for the most part, but he was alert when called upon. Made a crucial save to deny Ben Woodburn in the first half which was a key moment. His distribution was clean and he looked assured, commanding his box well. Solid outing.

Defenders

John Stones - 7.5: Led by example with the armband on. From our perspective, he read the game exceptionally well, making two interceptions and six clearances. He was composed on the ball before being given a rest. A classic Stones performance, really.

Rayan Aït-Nouri - 6.5: A decent performance, nothing more, nothing less. He was tidy in possession with a 97% pass accuracy. He tried to get forward but didn't have a huge impact on the game offensively. Did his job without any fuss before being subbed.

Abdukodir Khusanov - 7.0: What stood out to us was his defensive solidity. Won six of his nine duels and made a remarkable eight clearances. He was a rock at the back, just what you want from your center-half in a cup tie like this. Very impressive.

Max Alleyne - 6.0: It was a real shame to see his game cut short by injury after just 22 minutes. He had started brightly, winning all of his duels in that short time. Impossible to give a higher rating given the limited minutes.

Midfielders

Tijjani Reijnders - 6.5: A very busy, if slightly frustrating, performance. He was everywhere, taking four shots, but missed a big chance that he should have buried. His energy is undeniable but the final product just wasn't quite there today.

Rayan Cherki - 8.5: Absolutely ran the show. This kid is special. He created a staggering six chances, including one big chance, and was the architect of almost every City attack. His vision and weight of pass were on another level. The clear Man of the Match and our highest-rated player.

Nico González - 7.0: The metronome in midfield before he was substituted. He had 128 touches and completed over 100 passes, dictating the tempo of the game. He did lose possession a bit more than you'd like, but he controlled the middle of the park.

Phil Foden - 6.5: A slightly subdued game by his high standards. He was involved, took a few shots, but struggled to find that killer touch in the final third. You could see the effort was there, but it just didn't click for him before he came off.

Rico Lewis - 7.5: Another incredibly mature and versatile display. Over 100 touches, passed the ball with 94% accuracy, and was positionally excellent throughout. He recovered the ball six times and just seems to get better with every game. A top-class performance.

Forwards

Omar Marmoush - 6.5: A tireless runner but it was a difficult day for him. He was flagged offside twice and seemed a bit disconnected from the midfield. He did create one big chance for a teammate, showing his quality in flashes, but he wasn't a consistent threat.

Substitutes

Ryan McAidoo - 7.0: Came on early for the injured Alleyne and looked sharp. He forced a good save from the keeper and was a willing runner down the right. A really positive impact.

Marc Guéhi - 7.5: The perfect substitution. Came on, shored things up at the back, and popped up with the decisive second goal from a set piece. You can't ask for much more than that.

Antoine Semenyo - 7.0: Unlucky not to score. He brought energy and directness, hitting the post with one effort. Looked very dangerous in his cameo.

Rodri - 6.5: Came on late to see the game out, adding his usual control and composure to the midfield. Job done.

Reilly - 6.5: Had one decent chance well-saved shortly after coming on. Looked lively enough but didn't have a huge amount of time to influence proceedings.

Manager

Josep Guardiola - 7.5: Rotated his squad well, controlled the game from start to finish, and his substitutes made an impact. A classic Guardiola cup masterclass, getting the job done with minimum fuss. He'll be pleased with the professionalism shown.

Salford City Player Ratings vs Manchester City

Goalkeeper

Matthew Young - 7.0: Couldn't do anything about either goal, but he kept the score respectable. Made three saves, including a couple of really good stops in the second half. His distribution was a bit panicked, with only 44% of his passes finding a teammate.

Defenders

Brandon Cooper - 6.5: Battled hard against a top-quality attack. He made three interceptions and won most of his duels. He'll be disappointed to have missed a good headed chance from a corner in the first half.

Alfie Dorrington - 5.0: A truly nightmarish start for the defender. The own goal in the 6th minute was a killer blow and he never looked comfortable after that. It's a tough one, but that mistake defined the match for his side. Our lowest-rated player.

Zach Awe - 6.0: He was busy, making seven ball recoveries before his game was ended by injury. He struggled at times with City's movement but he never gave up. A committed, if difficult, outing.

Midfielders

Ben Woodburn - 6.5: He had Salford's best moment, forcing a great save from Trafford. He also worked his socks off defensively, winning three tackles. A performance full of heart and he can hold his head high.

J. Grant - 6.0: The game largely passed him by. He struggled to get on the ball and make an impact against a dominant City midfield. Worked hard but was ultimately ineffective before being substituted.

Josh Austerfield - 5.5: A really tough day at the office. He was chasing shadows for large parts of the game, losing possession ten times. He committed three fouls out of frustration. He never stopped running but was outclassed.

Luke Garbutt - 6.5: The captain put in a real shift. He was involved in a massive 11 duels, winning eight of them, and made five tackles. He tried to provide some quality from wide areas but it was a thankless task.

Rosaire Longelo - 5.5: Another player who struggled to impose himself. He was booked for a cynical foul and looked a yard off the pace. He made a few clearances but offered little going forward.

Forwards

Kelly N'Mai - 6.0: Showed some fight, winning six of his eleven duels and getting booked early for his troubles. However, he was completely starved of service and had little to no impact in the final third. A frustrating day.

Ryan Graydon - 6.0: Isolated and frustrated. He was caught offside twice and lost possession 15 times, which tells the story of his afternoon. He ran the channels but was feeding off scraps all game.

Substitutes

Ossama Ashley - 6.0: Brought on to add some fresh legs but couldn't alter the flow of the game.

Matt Butcher - N/A: Not on the pitch long enough to receive a rating.

Oliver Turton - N/A: A late substitute with little time to make an impact.

Princewill Ehibhatiomhan - N/A: Came on for the final few minutes.

Manager

K. Robinson - 6.0: His game plan was likely torn up after just six minutes. You have to feel for him. His team showed good spirit and didn't collapse, but they were second best all over the park. There was little he could do once they went behind so early.

Man of the Match

Sportsdunia's player of the match was Manchester City's Rayan Cherki.

Worst Performer

Salford City's Alfie Dorrington scored an own goal early in the FA Cup game.