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By JOE BERNSTEIN Published: 06: 40 AEDT, 2 March 2025 | Updated: 07: 56 AEDT, 2 March 2025 18 View comments Makeshift left-back Nico O’Reilly channelled his inner Erling Haaland to lead a Manchester City comeback after they’d been given a major scare by this season’s FA Cup fairytale, Plymouth Argyle. Pep Guardiola must have feared going the same way as Liverpool – knocked out by Argyle in the fourth round – when pony-tailed Ukranian Maksym Talovierov headed the Championship side ahead to send eight thousand travelling fans wild. As City’s big-hitters floundered, it was 19-year-old O’Reilly – a midfielder pressed into duty at the back – who came to the rescue with two headers before skipper Kevin De Bruyne sealed the deal late on. The teenager’s first goal, from De Bruyne’s free-kick, put City level at the interval. With 14 minutes left and chances being missed, O’Reilly kept his composure to emphatically nod home Phil Foden’s corner. Ironically, City could have lost O’Reilly in January but Guardiola is glad he and the club decided to keep the player rather than take Chelsea’s money. ‘Sometimes you take a good decision otherwise he would not have scored twice for us today, ’ smiled the City boss. Man City exercised their quality in the second-half against Plymouth Argyle to win 3-1 The Championship side took a first-half lead through Maksym Talovierov following a corner But a brace from Nico O'Reilly overturned the deficit, before Kevin De Bruyne added a third ‘He is a different to a lot of our academy players who are small with lots of skills. He is usually an attacking midfielder, a No10, but with our problems with injuries, he adapted well. ‘He is another threat for us at set pieces because we are not a tall team. He helped us. He played good with and without the ball. ’ For City, their last avenue to winning a trophy this season remains open. But all the noise at the final whistle still belonged to those supporters making the 560-mile round trip from Devon. Next-to-bottom Plymouth have saved their best performances in the cup with two shock wins against top flight sides. Like Leyton Orient in the previous round, they took the lead against the champions, a moment their fans will never forget. It was poignant too for the scorer. Talovierov’s parents live in Kyiv and he hasn’t seen them since the invasion three years ago. ‘It's a really hard situation but football helps us for a few hours to forget it, ’ said the emotional defender after beating City’s static defence to connect with Matthew Sorinola’s corner. ‘My father sends me information about other players. It really helps me. I hope our fans will be proud of us. We tried to do our best. ’ Miron Muslic's side could not quite replicate their fourth-round heroics against Liverpool Pep Guardiola's side continued their bid to make their third FA cup final in a row this season  His manager Miron Muslic, who wears a white flower in memory of genocide in his own homeland, expressed empathy. ‘He has a big heart. I am a refugee and know football connects people. It was a Premier League goal and I think he could get there. ‘We gave Manchester City a proper game. It was an honour to come here against one of the world’s best teams and the best manager. ’ Guardiola made 11 changes from the team that beat Spurs and used Foden as a false nine while putting Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush on the bench. It helped City dominate possession but without a cutting edge. Argyle goalkeeper Conor Hazard saved from Ilkay Gundogan, who also hit the post. Rico Lewis and Foden missed the target when well-placed. On the touchline, the Bosnian Miron Muslic – who took over in January following Wayne Rooney - out-pepped Pep in the technical area with energetic hand signals and vocal instructions. There was a roar from the Green Army when Plymouth won their first corner after 38 minutes and utter delirium when they took advantage. Talovierov wanted to win the ball more than City’s Vitor Reis and James Mc Atee to head in. With City’s confidence fragile, they needed to respond before half-time and made it with seconds to spare. The trusty right boot of De Bruyne flighted a free-kick into O’Reilly’s path and his header had enough power to take it over line even despite Hazard getting a hand to it. City have not lost at home or away in the FA Cup since 2018 - their only defeats have been at Wembley, most recently to rivals Man United in the final last year City will learn their quarter-final opponents after Man United's game against Fulham on Sunday Man City (4-3-3): Ortega 6; Lewis 6, Reis 5. 5, Ake 6 (Dias 45 6), O’Reilly 9; Mc Atee 5. 5 (Haaland 59 6. 5), Gundogan 8, De Bruyne 7 Bernardo 6. 5 , Foden 6 (Gonzalez 83), Grealish 5. 5 Subs unused: Ederson (Gk), Marmoush, Doku, Gvardiol, Savinho, Nunes Goals: O’Reilly 45+1 & 76, De Bruyne 90 Manager: Pep Guardiola 6 Plymouth (5-4-1): Hazard 7. 5; Sorinola 7 (Szucs 80), Talovierov 7, Katic 7, Pleguezuelo 6, Ogbeta 6 (Puchacz 71 6); Wright 6. 5, Boateng 6, Gyabi 6 (Houghton 64 6), Mumba 6 (Al Hajj 64 6); Bundu 6. 5 (Baidoo 64 6) Subs unused: Grimshaw (Gk), Edwards, Roberts, Palsson Goal: Talovierov 38 Manager: Miron Muslic 7 Referee: Craig Pawson 6   Nobody has been had more FA Cup goal involvements than De Bruyne’s 28 since his first tie for the club in 2016. City were frustrated for long spells in the second half. Bernardo was denied by Hazard and then missed a rebound after Haaland had come off the bench and forced the ‘keeper into another save. Rico Lewis lent back and fired over when well-placed to score from 12 yards The pressure eventually told when O’Reilly kept his eyes on Foden’s corner all the way to convert from close range. To show the big guns still have it, Haaland set up De Bruyne in the final minute. Guardiola, who lost another defender Nathan Ake to injury, said an FA Cup win wouldn’t compensate for an under-par season but did agree: ‘It can be good for the future. ’

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