Silva lining as City cruise into semis

Bernardo Silva struck twice as holders Manchester City cruised into the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win over Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening. 

Citizens manager Pep Guardiola has played down the prospect of a historic second 'Treble', but City are currently a point off leaders Arsenal in the Premier League and in the last eight of the Champions League, as well as in the last four of the FA Cup now after beating the Magpies. 

Both of Silva's strikes had an element of fortune about them, but the Portugal international certainly didn't care when he gave the hosts the lead on 13 minutes with a goal-bound effort that took a massive deflection off Newcastle defender Dan Burn on its way into the net. 

With Newcastle's game plan out of the window early on, the last thing the visitors wanted was to ship another goal prior to the break, but they found themselves two goals adrift around the half hour mark when Silva again chopped inside on his left foot and saw his shot deflected into the net, this time via Sven Botman's head. 

The Magpies desperately needed to gain a foothold back in the game, and they almost had one in the 38th minute when Aleksander Isak flashed a left footed shot on goal that City keeper Stefan Ortega did well to keep out. 

Just before the break, however, the impressive Jeremy Doku nearly extended City's lead to three - the Belgian winger bursting through on goal, only to see his effort smothered by Martin Dubravka. 

Half-time: Man City 2-0 Newcastle

With Doku and Phil Foden causing all sorts of problems, the second half began much as the first ended: with the hosts well on top. 

Erling Haaland had hitherto been a bit part figure, but the Norwegian poses an ever-present danger and he came within a whisker of adding his name to the scoresheet on 51 minutes when he picked up Mateo Kovacic's pass before driving in a shot that clipped the post. 

Goalscorer Silva was uncharacteristically robbed of possession midway through the second period as Newcastle countered dangerously, but Isak was unable to take a clinical touch in the box and was eventually crowded out. 

In the main, however, Guardiola's hosts were firmly in the ascendency and they continued to threaten - one lovely move between Foden, sub Oscar Bobb and Haaland ending with the latter failing to hit the target. 

After just three added minutes, the final whistle blew to send City into the last four of the competition they won last year after beating arch-rivals Manchester United in the final. 

xG: Man City (1.40) 2-0 (0.31) Newcastle