Manchester City's Belgian midfielder #17 Kevin De Bruyne (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring their second goal during the English FA Cup fourth round football match between Leyton Orient and Manchester City at Gaughan Group Stadium, Brisbane Road in east London on February 8, 2025. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)
London: Manchester City survived a huge scare to beat third-tier Leyton Orient 2-1 and progress to the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola had to turn to his bench to prevent a monumental shock for the Premier League champions as substitute Kevin De Bruyne scored the winner 11 minutes from time.
Jamie Donley's audacious effort that came back off the bar and rebounded in off City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega had given the League One side an early lead.
They maintained that advantage until 56 minutes when Rico Lewis' shot deflected in off Abdukodir Khusanov for his first Manchester City goal.
Guardiola threw on Phil Foden and De Bruyne in desperate search of a winner and the veteran Belgian duly delivered.
De Bruyne prodded in Jack Grealish's forward pass to spare City's blushes from the latest embarrassment of a difficult season.
Guardiola's men sit fourth in the Premier League and narrowly avoided a shock early exit from the Champions League in the group stages.
But they will need to be much improved when the might of Real Madrid come calling to the Etihad in the Champions League play-off round on Tuesday.
