The FA Cup
Man CityManchester City0MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough2

Manchester City 0-2 Middlesbrough

By Mike WhalleyBBC Sport
  • On-loan Chelsea striker Bamford opens scoring
  • Pellegrini's side beaten on return from Abu Dhabi
  • City went out to Championship Wigan last season
  • Boro keep sixth clean sheet in seven games

Manchester City were knocked out of the FA Cup by Championship opponents for the second season running as they were shocked at home by Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough striker Patrick Bamford, on loan from Chelsea, bundled in the first after an error by Fernando.

Lee Tomlin hit a post for Boro, while Frank Lampard did the same for City.

But substitute Kike struck a second on the break for the visitors, who followed Wigan's example of last season by knocking City out of the cup.

Man City 0-2 Middlesbrough: We got nervous, says Pellegrini

Manuel Pellegrini's side, who returned from a five-day warm-weather training trip to Abu Dhabi on Friday evening, faded badly in the second half against a side who thoroughly deserved their victory.

Middlesbrough, with the Championship's best defensive record, needed to be resolute in the face of intense first-half pressure, before creating a host of chances themselves in the second.

Tomlin had an early goal rightly ruled out for offside against Bamford in the build-up, but the visitors were thankful to goalkeeper Tomas Mejias - in for the rested Dimi Konstantopoulos - for six excellent first-half saves.

Mejias, who was part of Pellegrini's squad at Real Madrid, denied Aleksandar Kolarov, Stevan Jovetic twice, James Milner and David Silva in the final 20 minutes of the first half.

Perhaps the best of those saves was a dive to his right to push aside Silva's deflected shot nine minutes before half-time.

Returning hero
Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Clayton was a boyhood Manchester City fan who spent 12 years on the club's books without ever playing a first-team game. This was the 26-year-old's first competitive first-team match at Etihad Stadium.

Boro got lucky in the midst of all those chances as Dedryck Boyota blasted over from six yards, and might have conceded a penalty when Daniel Ayala handled inside the area to halt Kolarov's progress, but referee Phil Dowd gave nothing.

And the visitors rode that fortune to take the lead early in the second half as City's defending went to pieces.

Aitor Karanka is proud after his side's FA Cup win.

A Fernando back pass fell short, allowing Albert Adomah to tackle the ball beyond keeper Willy Caballero, and the Brazilian's attempted clearance as it rolled towards the line rebounded in off Bamford.

Middlesbrough then passed up five excellent openings to extend that lead, the first two of which ended with Caballero recovering from his own dreadful clearance to stop Tomlin and Grant Leadbitter with a double save.

Adomah failed with an attempted lob over the goalkeeper after a terrific crossfield pass from the impressive Tomlin, who hit the post moments later following a beautiful drag-back turn, before Caballero palmed out a Jelle Vossen volley.

Lampard, on as a substitute, might have earned a replay with a deflected curling shot that struck the inside of the post.

That would have been harsh on Boro, who secured victory when Adomah broke away and combined with Bamford, feeding Kike to fire past Caballero.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said: "Before they scored the first goal, we had five or six clear chances and they didn't have one. But we conceded a very easy goal, and the game changed. They are a team who work well; that's why they are second in the Championship. They had opportunities to score more goals and deserved to go through.

"I wanted to continue in all the competitions but now we must focus on the Premier League and Champions League. We now have a difficult game against Chelsea. We must reduce the five-point gap."

Asked if he thought City's trip to Abu Dhabi had tired them out, he replied: "No, I don't think so. It's easy to have an excuse, but I don't think that was the case."

Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka said: "I'm proud of the players, the crowd, the fans, the staff and the club. Manchester City had a lot of chances to score in the first half and I was concerned, because they have a lot of quality.

"They always have an attacking threat, and it was our third game in a week. We could have won by more because we were very well organised and have quality up front.

"At half-time I told my players - and maybe they thought I was crazy - 'Manchester City are in our hands because the only chances they had in the first half came from our mistakes.' We didn't lose the ball like we did in the first half and that is why we had this chance."

Aitor Karanka and Manuel Pellegrini
Aitor Karanka was part of Jose Mourinho's coaching staff that replaced Manuel Pellegrini at Real Madrid in 2010
Lee Tomlin
Lee Tomlin's header into the net was disallowed for offside against Patrick Bamford
Patrick Bamford
Bamford, on loan from Chelsea, scored his second goal in two games
Stevan Jovetic
Stevan Jovetic was denied twice by Tomas Mejias before half-time

Line-ups

Man City

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 13Caballero
  • 5Zabaleta
  • 38Boyata
  • 4KompanyBooked at 51mins
  • 11Kolarov
  • 7Milner
  • 6RegesSubstituted forDzekoat 79'minutes
  • 15NavasSubstituted forLampardat 67'minutes
  • 21Silva
  • 35JoveticSubstituted forFernandinhoat 67'minutesBooked at 71mins
  • 16Agüero

Substitutes

  • 1Hart
  • 3Sagna
  • 10Dzeko
  • 18Lampard
  • 22Clichy
  • 25Fernandinho
  • 26Demichelis

Middlesbrough

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 40Mejias
  • 18WhiteheadBooked at 71mins
  • 4AyalaBooked at 49mins
  • 6Gibson
  • 3Friend
  • 8Clayton
  • 7Leadbitter
  • 23BamfordSubstituted forWildschutat 90+5'minutes
  • 10TomlinSubstituted forReachat 81'minutes
  • 27Adomah
  • 21VossenSubstituted forKikeat 87'minutes

Substitutes

  • 9Kike
  • 12Ripley
  • 17Husband
  • 20Reach
  • 22Omeruo
  • 33Wildschut
  • 39Woodgate
Referee:
Phil Dowd
Attendance:
44,836

Match Stats

Home TeamMan CityAway TeamMiddlesbrough
Possession
Home65%
Away35%
Shots
Home24
Away14
Shots on Target
Home8
Away6
Corners
Home11
Away2
Fouls
Home7
Away14

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Manchester City 0, Middlesbrough 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Manchester City 0, Middlesbrough 2.

  3. Substitution

    Substitution, Middlesbrough. Yanic Wildschut replaces Patrick Bamford.

  4. Goal!

    Goal! Manchester City 0, Middlesbrough 2. Kike (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Patrick Bamford.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City).

  6. Post update

    Albert Adomah (Middlesbrough) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  7. Post update

    Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by George Friend.

  8. Post update

    Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Ben Gibson.

  9. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Edin Dzeko with a headed pass.

  10. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  11. Post update

    Delay in match Daniel Ayala (Middlesbrough) because of an injury.

  12. Post update

    Edin Dzeko (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  13. Post update

    Foul by Daniel Ayala (Middlesbrough).

  14. Post update

    Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Dean Whitehead.

  15. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Frank Lampard (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Edin Dzeko.

  16. Substitution

    Substitution, Middlesbrough. Kike replaces Jelle Vossen.

  17. Post update

    Attempt missed. Sergio Agüero (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Middlesbrough. Adam Reach replaces Lee Tomlin.

  19. Substitution

    Substitution, Manchester City. Edin Dzeko replaces Fernando.

  20. Post update

    Attempt saved. Jelle Vossen (Middlesbrough) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Albert Adomah with a cross.