Guardiola's masterstroke makes the difference as O'Reilly's endless energy flips tie around

The moment that flipped this game on its head initially went largely unnoticed.

- Ben Fisher

As players made a beeline for the tunnel and supporters headed into the concourses loaded with orders for beers, burgers and hot dogs, Pep Guardiola had issued an instruction that would ultimately define this match and earn Manchester City passage to a seventh successive FA Cup semi-final.

As everyone else headed in, his longtime fitness coach, Lorenzo Buenaventura, rushed on to the pitch with a single mission: prime Nico O'Reilly for business. The 20-year-old from Failsworth, a few miles north of Manchester, ditched the tracksuit top and was quickly put through his paces. O'Reilly would not depart quite so quietly.

His half-time arrival, in place of Abdukodir Khusanov, transformed City, preserving their last route to domestic silverware this season. At that point City trailed 1-0, Erling Haaland had missed a penalty and squandered two other chances and Guardiola's defenders were generally being given the runaround. Ilkay Gündogan had made a couple of lazy fouls and Haaland's chances were anomalies in a half Bournemouth dominated.