Abby Brammell

By Joe Bernstein

Level pegging: Joleon Lescott looks aghast as Ricardo Fuller wheels away

Two hundred million pounds should be enough to stop a Rory Delap long throw. But Manchester City's hapless players proved otherwise to leave their normally urbane manager Roberto Mancini more than a little irritated.

Mancini, who needs a trophy to guarantee he is still in a job next season, must have thought he had one foot in the FA Cup quarter-finals when Shaun Wright-Phillips scored early on and Stoke suffered a devastating setback with star winger Matthew Etherington carried off with a serious knee injury.

Then, Delap undid all the good work with one mighty chuck after 57 minutes. Wright-Phillips, all 5ft 5in of him, laughingly jumped in front of the Stoke substitute to block the throw's trajectory.

Predictably, the ball sailed over his head into the danger zone where Shay Given remained rooted to his line and expensively-assembled defenders Wayne Bridge, Kolo Toure, Pablo Zabaleta and Joleon Lescott stood like statues as Ricardo Fuller headed in from close range.

Former Manchester City manager Joe Royle looked away in disgust, declaring: 'Zonal marking at its worst.'

Mancini did not defend his players as Fuller continued his record of scoring in every round this season. 'We had prepared for this because we knew Stoke are dangerous from throw-ins. But our players were in a bad position and they scored,' said the Italian.

'It wasn't a fair result because we played well in the first half and had four good chances. But when you don't score a second, it can be dangerous because Stoke are dangerous at every set-piece.'


A gift: Shaun Wright-Phillips is on hand to put City a goal to the good

Bridge alone could be exempt from criticism. In front of England coach Fabio Capello, he showed why he was regarded as the natural stand-in for Ashley Cole before the John Terry affair. He was capable in his defending, adventurous going forward and made a terrific block to deny Liam Lawrence.

Even so, one has to admire Stoke's doggedness in the face of adversity. After 11 minutes their defence failed to catch Wright-Phillips offside as he raced on to a Stephen Ireland pass and prodded the ball past advancing goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen with muted power.


In the hat: Roberto Mancini's City are in the draw for the sixth round

Ryan Shawcross, chasing back, had time to hack it clearbut missed with an air shot. He ran to the goal-line to cover, only to slip over. Comically, the ball hit him on the back of the head and dropped kindly for Wright-Phillips to tap in.

Things got worse for Stoke in the 13th minute when Etherington slipped as he went to challenge Bridge and was carried off with suspected medial ligament damage that might keep him out for two months.

'Matty is going for a scan and we are a bit concerned,' said Stoke manager Tony Pulis. 'His studs got caught in the ground – we will have to wait and see.'

It took Stoke until half-time to re-organise but they gave a real scare to a Manchester team missing Carlos Tevez, in Argentina for the birth of his child. Only in the closing stages did the home side threaten again as Gareth Barry had a header saved and Roque Santa Cruz failed from six yards.

Mancini will now experience the raucous atmosphere of the Britannia in the Premier League on Tuesday and again in a Cup replay. 'It will be good for him,' laughed Pulis.


source: dailymail