Bernardo Silva scored two first-half goals to give holders Manchester City a routine 2-0 home win over Newcastle and a place in the FA Cup semi-finals for the seventh time in eight seasons under manager Pep Guardiola.
Playmaker Silva struck with two heavily deflected efforts in 19 minutes from inside the penalty area, the first hitting Dan Burn and the second wrong-footing goalkeeper Martin Dubravka via Sven Botman.
Alexander Isak had Newcastle’s best chance but failed to trouble Stefan Ortega – deputising for the injured Ederson – from close range.
City will discover their opponents in the final four at Wembley Stadium when the draw is made on Sunday evening.
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At a rain-lashed Etihad Stadium, Newcastle put in a damp squib of a performance as City scarcely appeared to build a sweat on their way to a comfortable victory.
The Magpies were unlucky to concede both goals but there rarely seemed a realistic prospect of Eddie Howe’s side exerting sustained control over a game in which they had 28% of possession.
Mateo Kovacic was a major part of City’s dominance in the absence of the injured Kevin De Bruyne, while Silva, Phil Foden, Rodri and Jeremy Doku – preferred to the returning Jack Grealish – were too quick and too slick for Newcastle to stop.
Bernardo Silva at the (deflected 😅) double ⚽️⚽️#BBCFootball #FACup pic.twitter.com/XAxx4PkQRR
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 16, 2024
FA Cup result: City outclass Newcastle
Isak should have done better with the half-chances he was afforded and Dan Burn was reticent when offered a presentable chance to shoot from a promising position.
A trip to City is the cup draw no team wants but a return of two shots was the visitors’ lowest in a game for almost nine years and the tameness of their showing could provide Howe with real concern.
Erling Haaland went closest to scoring a third for City, collecting a pass from Kovacic and racing forward before sending his drive against a post.
The forward was replaced by Julian Alvarez as the Cityzens closed in on a fourth successive home win in all competitions which keeps their ambitions of the treble firmly intact.
League leaders Arsenal are the visitors in their next game on March 31, when they will start a point behind the Gunners and second-placed Liverpool.
Tenth-placed Newcastle could leapfrog West Ham into seventh if they beat the Hammers the previous day and other results are favourable for them.
