Huddersfield Town’s FA Cup dreams were left in tatters after a 10-minute spell of first-half madness put David Wagner’s men up against it.
Former Manchester City youngster Harry Bunn had the travelling Blue White Army delirious as early as the eighth minute, firing the ball past keeper Claudio Bravo.
But after wasting a number of glorious chances, City eventually got it right in the final third, romping to victory with goals from Leroy Sane, Pablo Zabaleta, Kelechi Iheanacho and a brace from Sergio Aguero.
Unsurprisingly, Wagner made wholesale changes to the side that faced Barnsley at Oakwell on Saturday, reverting to a side resembling the one which drew so admirably with the Premier League giants 12 days earlier.
The most noticeable inclusions weren’t in the starting XI but on Town’s bench, not only had Nahki Wells overcome the ankle injury which meant he missed out at the weekend but Jonathan Hogg also returned to the matchday squad after recovering from the groin strain picked up in the 2-1 win at Queens Park Rangers.
City, on the other hand, started with a much stronger side than the one which was held to a scoreless draw at the John Smith’s, with Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane all starting alongside lone striker Sergio Aguero.
And Pep Guardiola’s men signalled their intention within the first five minutes – Sane rattling Coleman’s left hand post from inside the area after De Bruyne’s lay-off.
But if the home side thought they were to have it all their own way they were sadly mistaken as minutes later Wagner’s side had taken the lead.
Harry Bunn, recalled after his recent injury lay-off, fired a low strike past Manchester City’s Claudio Bravo after good work from Joe Lolley and Philip Billing, whose flick teed him up.
The much-maligned Chilean goalkeeper should have done better but that will matter not to former-Manchester City trainee Bunn or the boisterous 7,000-strong away support.
City rallied but a combination of a poor end product mixed with good fortune on Town’s part meant the home side were left frustrated, never more so than when legitimate penalty claims for a handball from Jon Gorenc Stankovic were waved away.
But the home side’s increasing pressure was eventually rewarded just after the half-hour mark – Sane tapping in Sterling’s cross from yards out to make it 1-1.
And the footballing hierarchy was further restored minutes later when a Pablo Zabaleta cross led to an already shaky Stankovic bringing down Otamendi for a penalty.
Up stepped Aguero, who seldom misses from 12 yards, before the forward turned provider for fellow Argentinean international Pablo Zabaleta to make it 3-1.
It was a 10 minutes Wagner, watching from the stand due to his FA ban, will want to forget as his side showed stark naivety and mental fallibility from what had been such a strong beginning.
After the frenetic opening 45 minutes, it was a case of damage limitations for Town, reinforced by Wagner shuffling his pack and using all three of his substitutes before the 70th minute mark – with one eye firmly on the crunch SkyBet Championship clash against Newcastle United.
City continued to pose a threat with their frightening array of pace in the final third and further extended their lead when Aguero clinically dispatched Sterling’s cross in the 74th minute, before substitute Kelechi Iheanacho added a fifth in stoppage time.
The 5-1 scoreline didn’t flatter the clinical and quick hosts, but the reality of the situation is Town’s priorities lie elsewhere, namely in the league, and there was no shame for anyone connected with the club after this season’s cup run came to an end.
