Wigan 1-0 Manchester City: Will Grigg winner stuns City in FA Cup

By James Walker-Roberts

Image: Will Grigg was the hero as his winning goal stunned the Premier League leaders

Wigan ended 10-man Manchester City's hopes of a quadruple with a shock 1-0 win in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday.

Will Grigg scored the winner for the League One side in the 79th minute when he finished brilliantly from the edge of the box.

City otherwise dominated the match, having 29 shots and 83 per cent of the possession, despite Fabian Delph being controversially sent off at the end of the first half for a high tackle on Max Power.

Image: Will Grigg scored the winner for Wigan

Player ratings

Wigan: Walton (7), Byrne (8), Elder (8), Perkins (8), Burn (8), Power (7), Grigg (8), Massey (7), Roberts (7), Dunkley (7), Powell (5)

Subs: Fulton (6), Jacobs (6), Colclough (5)

Man City: Bravo (5), Danilo (5), Stones (5), Laporte (5), Delph (4), Gundogan (5), Fernandinho (6), D. Silva (5), Sane (5), B. Silva (5), Aguero (5)

Subs: Walker (5), De Bruyne (6),

Man of the match: Will Grigg

Referee Anthony Taylor initially looked to give a yellow card but then switched to a red, and the incident sparked a furious half-time clash between Pep Guardiola and his opposite number Paul Cook in the tunnel at half-time.

There were also ugly scenes at the final whistle involving fans from both clubs as City crashed out of their first competition this season.

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Image: Fabian Delph was sent off in the first half for City

Defeat is only the third of the campaign for City, who had created enough good chances to win the game, especially in the first half, despite Wigan looking dangerous on the break.

Sergio Aguero headed a decent opportunity over in the third minute before Ilkay Gundogan saw a shot palmed away.

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Image: David Silva of Manchester City tackled by Nathan Byrne during the fifth-round tie

Wigan threatened at the other end too, with Grigg shooting into the side-netting and Nick Powell seeing an effort blocked on the counter.

Fernandinho wasted City's best opening of the half when he blazed over from the penalty spot, while Christian Walton denied Aguero in the 45th minute.

But City were reduced to 10 men late in the first half when Delph slid in on Power, with the referee initially appearing set to book Delph, only to then issue a red card.

Image: Pep Guardiola and Paul Cook clashed on the touchline following Delph's dismissal

Team news

Wigan made three changes from their defeat to Blackpool at the weekend as Elder, Perkins and Roberts replaced James, Jacobs and Morsy. City made six changes, with Bravo replacing Ederson in goal and De Bruyne starting on the bench for the first time since January 6

City were incensed by the decision and Guardiola and Cook clashed on the sidelines and then exchanged words down the tunnel at half-time.

Despite having a man less, City dominated the second half, albeit without creating any clear chances, even after the introduction of Kevin De Bruyne.

And Wigan snatched a dramatic win in the 79th minute when Kyle Walker let a pass roll by him and Grigg pounced and finished brilliantly from the edge of the box.

Image: Grigg scored in the 79th minute for the League One side

Opta stats

  • Wigan have now beaten Manchester City each of the last three times they've played them in the FA Cup - also doing so in the 2013 final and the 2014 quarter-final.
  • Pep Guardiola's side failed to score for only the third time in all competitions this season, with Wolves in the EFL Cup and Crystal Palace in the Premier League also keeping them at bay.
  • The Latics have now progressed past Premier League opposition in the third, fourth and fifth rounds of the FA Cup this season, the first lower league team to do so in three straight rounds since Millwall last season.
  • Man City have been knocked out of the FA Cup by a side from the third tier or lower for the first time since the third round in 2004-05 (0-1 vs Oldham).
  • Fabian Delph's sending off was the ninth in all competitions for Manchester City under Pep Guardiola - only Watford (10) have seen more among Premier League clubs in that time.

The managers

Paul Cook: "We knew a lot of things had to go right on the night against such a quality team. We had to dig in, we really did, and the lads did that in abundance. As a team it's an outstanding night for us, it's one we should enjoy."

Pep Guardiola: "Of course we are sad and we want to go through because the FA Cup is a nice competition and you want to go to the quarter-finals, play at home against Southampton, but football counts what happens in 94 minutes. They score a goal, we were not able to, so that's why they deserve to go through. We congratulate Wigan for their victory."

Man of the match - Will Grigg

Who else? He wasn't involved much in the match but he took his chance when it arrived, showing good awareness to take advantage of Walker's lapse and then finishing from just outside the box.

The goal was Grigg's seventh in the FA Cup this season, more than any other player.

What's next?

Wigan continue their promotion push in League One when they host Rochdale on Saturday and then travel to Bristol Rovers next Tuesday.

Manchester City face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday and then travel to the Emirates to take on the Gunners in the Premier League on Thursday, March 1, with both games live on Sky Sports.

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