The FA cup returns this weekend as City travel to Carrow Road to face Premier League rivals Norwich City.
This famous competition has always been a highlight for football fans around the country due to its unpredictability and exhilarating nature; none more so than us City fans- after all, it was the first bit of major silverware we reclaimed after more than thirty decades and has provided us with a rollercoaster of emotions over the years.
City have produced some quite remarkable goals in the tournament that have shaped the club as it is today. Ahead of the trip to Norfolk, Read Man City looks back on our ten most memorable FA Cup goals of recent time.
10. Pablo Zabaleta v Stoke City- 26th January 2013 (4th round)
It is almost three years to the day since Pablo Zabaleta pounced five minutes from time to snatch victory for City at the Britannia Stadium in the 2012/13 season.
In what was City’s first win at Stoke for 14 years, the Argentinian right-back finished off a swift counter-attack for Mancini’s men and slotted home a low Aguero cross in the 85th minute to save us a replay and hand the Blues a deserved win.
As is always the case with the big man, the passion shown by Zabaleta after scoring the winner was clear to see as he wheeled away in celebration as his impressive finish set City on their long road to the finals for the second time in three years. A huge goal.
YouTube: |Pablo Zabaleta| Goal vs Stoke| FA Cup 2012/13
9. Sylvinho v Scunthorpe- 24 January 2010 (4th round)
A trip to Glanford Park is not exactly the most high-profile of FA Cup encounters that City have been a part of, but this match brought about a quite stunning strike from our Brazilian season-wonder Sylvinho.
Aware of a potential upset on the cards, City produced a professional performance on a difficult surface which was epitomized by this particular goal.
The veteran defender picked the ball up in the middle of the park and let fly with a pin-point left-footed shot from range which left Scunthorpe goalkeeper Joe Murphy with no chance and hand the South American his first goal in almost four years.
City went on to win the game 4-2 but could only advance to the next round as Stoke City beat us 3-1 in a replay at the Britannia, but nevertheless, this strike from the Brazilian was perhaps one of the goals of the tournament.
YouTube: Sylvinho goal vs. Scunthorpe in FA Cup 24 January 2010
8. Micah Richards v Reading- 13 March 2011 (Quarter final)
With results earlier in the day making City aware that a semi-final clash with Manchester United was up for grabs, the only thing standing in their way was Championship outfit Reading, who had shocked Premier League Everton in the previous round.
City were searching for their first FA Cup semi-final appearance since 1981 (and first major piece of silverware since 1976), and Reading made it hard for us during large periods of the game as the visitors defended manfully, although they had keeper Alex McCarthy in inspired form.
The goal that broke their resistance was one which was enough to win any game however as Micah Richards rose highest from a David Silva corner and head explosively beyond the hapless McCarthy via the underside of the bar.
It was a tremendous goal from the fans favourite which sealed City’s passage into the semi-finals and set up a mouth-watering clash with city rivals United.
YouTube: Manchester City 1-0 Reading | The FA Cup 6th Round
7. Mario Balotelli v Aston Villa- 2 March 2011 (Fifth round)
Yet another goal to take place during our cup winning campaign, this strike comes in the round previous to Micah Richards header and features a certain Italian who goes by the name of Mario Balotelli.
Yaya Toure had earlier given the Blues the lead but it was Balotelli’s strike that stood out the most. He took down a fantastic long ball from the Ivorian, beating Richard Dunne for pace before side-footing the ball expertly into the top left corner of the goal and hand City a comfortable advantage.
It was finishes like this that gave us promising glimpses of the young Italian, as City booked a quarter-final clash with Reading after another goal from David Silva added gloss to the score-line.
YouTube: Manchester City 3-0 Aston Villa | The FA Cup 5th Round
6. Sergio Aguero v Chelsea- 14 April 2013 (Semi-final)
City found themselves in their second semi-final appearance in three years thanks to another fruitful FA Cup run to the final which included a massive win over rivals Chelsea at a packed Wembley Stadium.
Samir Nasri put us ahead in the first half against the holders before Sergio Aguero produced a quite stunning header early in the second half from a Gareth Barry cross to ease the pressure and take us one step further to another final, this time against Wigan Athletic.
The English midfielder floated a delightful ball into the box which landed perfectly onto Aguero’s head, and the Argentine diverted the ball with aplomb beyond Petr Cech to send City fans into raptures. A player not normally associated with headers, this was one of the highest order from our little Argentine as he beat his man in the air and sent City even further into the depths of FA Cup bedlam.
Aguero again proving that he is the man of the moment with another goal on the big stage.
YouTube: GOAL: Sergio Aguero Manchester City vs Chelsea 2013, FA Cup Semi Final
5. Micah Richards v Aston Villa- 19 February 2006 (Fifth round)
A goal which still brings goose bumps to every City fan.
City found themselves trailing against the run of play at Villa Park after Milan Baros had given Villa a first-half lead, and the Blues had plenty of opportunities to make amends but it just did not seem like luck was on their side.
It wasn’t until deep into injury time that then 17-year old Micah Richards met Joey Barton’s corner in the dying embers of the game to deservedly equalise for City and set up a replay. He met the ball with attack and intent and rushed away into the crowd where City fans began spilling onto the pitch in celebration. A quite wonderful goal.
YouTube: Micah Richards Goal vs Villa
4. Jon Macken v Spurs- 4 February 2004 (Fourth round)
Despite not fitting the description of ‘recent time’, it would seem wrong not to include this goal which was part of probably one of the most amazing FA Cup comebacks in the history of the competition.
City found themselves trailing 3-0 at half-time at White Hart Lane, and matters were made worse when Blues midfielder Joey Barton was sent off for a second booking early in the second half.
All looked lost as the clock ticked down but Sylvian Distin, Paul Bosvelt and Shaun Wright-Phillips helped City remarkably level matters, before Macken headed the extraordinary winner seconds from time.
A cross from the left resulted in a looping header from the Englishman which found its way into the bottom left corner and wrote even more pages in the FA Cup history books. It really did highlight what the FA Cup was all about as the striker came up with the goods to hand City a fifth round tie against arch rivals Manchester United.
YouTube: Tottenham 3-4 Man City – FATV looks back to a classic FA Cup comeback in 2004
3. Edin Dzeko v Notts County- 30 January 2011 (4th round)
This goal might not stand out in the memory for many City fans, but it is a hugely significant strike which was not only the Bosnian’s first goal for the club, but also set City well on their way to winning their first piece of silverware for over 40 years after a difficult afternoon at Meadow Lane.
The new recruit got on the end of a pin-point cross from the athletic Micah Richards and fire home City’s equaliser to relieve City boss Roberto Mancini after it looked like County were going to claim a famous scalp. The goal set up a home replay with the League 1 side which the Blues went on to win comfortably and embark on an epic FA Cup journey.
YouTube: Notts County 1-1 Man City | The FA Cup 4th Round – 30/01/11
2. Yaya Toure v Manchester United- 16 April 2011 (Semi-final)
An absolutely crucial goal. City reached their first FA Cup final in 30 years thanks to this cool finish from our powerful Ivorian against our cross-city rivals to allow City fans to dream of cup glory.
Toure picked the ball up just outside the box and beat two United defenders for pace before coming face-to-face with United keeper Edwin van der Sar. The big man kept his cool to slide the ball expertly through the legs of the Dutch stopper. It really did epitomize the African’s qualities and cemented him as a City legend.
YouTube: Yaya Toure Goal v Manchester United
- Yaya Toure v Stoke City- 14 May 2011 (Final)
Was it really going to be anything else? Yaya Toure once again showed that he was the man to step up on the big occasions as he smashed the ball home from ten yards out and win City our first major trophy in 35 years.
It was a tense game from a blue perspective but in the end we very much deserved our win, thanks to a bullet of a strike from the big midfielder. The ball broke out to him after a scramble for possession in the box and he made no mistake with the finish- firing an unstoppable left-footed shot beyond Begovic and rippling the Wembley net.
Perhaps not the most impressive of FA Cup goals, but definitely the most important. This showed that we were beginning to make our mark and it was from this cup win that we have gone on to bigger and better things. A hugely significant goal.
YouTube: Yaya Toure vs Stoke City
