Pep Guardiola’s Full Post-Match Press Conference | Man City Survive Leyton Orient scare | FA CUP

FULL PRESS CONFERENCE
Premier League champions Manchester City survived a huge FA Cup fourth-round scare as Kevin De Bruyne came off the bench to secure a 2-1 win at third-tier Leyton Orient on Saturday.
A wretched season for Pep Guardiola's side looked like reaching a new low as Orient protected a 16th-minute lead given to them by Jamie Donley's long-range wonder-strike that went in via the crossbar and the back of City keeper Stefan Ortega.
City huffed and puffed in response and were relieved when Abdukodir Khusanov equalised in the 56th minute, deflecting in Rico Lewis's shot.
De Bruyne came on late in the game and City's playmaker spared his side extra time when Jack Grealish played him in to score from close range in the 79th minute.
Even then Orient almost equalised when skipper Dan Happe volleyed over a great chance at the death.
Some lament the FA Cup losing its romance in recent years but this old-school tie had it in bucket loads.
A murky, drizzly lunchtime in an east London suburb lined with rows of Victorian terraced houses looked the perfect stage for Orient to ambush City's slickers.
While City lived to fight another day, it was a mightily relieved Guardiola who applauded the home fans at fulltime -- the same ones who chanted "you're getting sacked in the morning" to the serial trophy winner as his side were trailing.
"We played a really good game, it was a typical FA Cup game -- that's why this competition is unbelievable," Guardiola said.
"We behaved really well and reacted with character."
Orient, sixth in League One after a sensational run of form under Manchester United-supporting manager Richie Wellens, ran themselves into the ground.
And Tottenham Hotspur loanee Donley's goal -- despite being credited to Ortega -- will live long in the memory.
"I know I hit the goal well. I knew it fell for me nicely. I saw him off his line and luckily it went in," he said. "It would have been a lot nicer if we won," Donley said.
City made eight changes from last week's mauling across the capital at Arsenal but their line-up was packed with hundreds of millions of pounds' worth of talent.
Nico Gonzalez and Vitor Reis both made their debuts while Ruben Dias returned in defence with Grealish and Ilkay Gundogan adding experience.
Gundogan should have settled City's nerves when he somehow steered a Savinho cross wide with the goal gaping.
Orient, roared on by a capacity 9,000 crowd, were soon in dreamland as Gundogan lost the ball near the halfway line and the 20-year-old Donley spotted Ortega off his line and sent a long-range shot arcing goalwards.
Ortega back-pedalled, seemingly in slow motion, but could only push the ball against the crossbar before it hit his back and rolled in, sparking delirium around the stadium and on the balconies of the apartments wedged into each corner.
City's response was sporadic as Orient's young keeper Josh Keeley, also on loan from Tottenham, continued his remarkable FA Cup adventure. He headed a stoppage-time equaliser in the second-round win against Oldham Athletic and starred in the penalty shoot-out win over Derby County which earned the Os a date with City.
Keeley denied Omar Marmoush and Gundogan with superb stops but was helpless when Lewis's shot deflected off Khusanov to leave him wrong-footed. Guardiola sent on Phil Foden and De Bruyne and the changes paid off as Grealish fed De Bruyne to dink home.
#manchestercity #manchestercityfc #mancity #guardiola
Más información en www.mundodeport...
Síguenos en Facebook / mundodeportivo.com
Síguenos en Twitter / mundodeportivo
Síguenos en Twitch / mundodeportivo
Este vídeo ha sido publicado en el contexto del diario Mundo Deportivo