FA Cup Round 4 City Triumph, Chelsea Held, Forest Draw

 FA Cup Round 4 City Triumph, Chelsea Held, Forest Draw

Micky van de Ven of Tottenham Hotspur and Julian Alvarez in action during the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on January 26, 2024 in London, England.(Image-Getty)

Manchester City secured a crucial 1-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup fourth round, thanks to a late goal from Nathan Ake. The goal came in the 88th minute after Guglielmo Vicario failed to secure Kevin De Bruyne's corner, allowing Ake to capitalize on the opportunity.

This goal marked Manchester City's first at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after enduring five consecutive defeats and 101 shots in those matches. Throughout the game, City dominated possession and had an early Oscar Bobb strike disallowed for offside.

Despite the loss, Tottenham Hotspur saw the return of James Maddison, who made his first appearance since November when he came on in the 72nd minute. With this win, Pep Guardiola's side secured their spot in the FA Cup fifth-round draw, continuing their quest to defend the trophy.

Manchester City's next fixture is at home against Burnley on January 31, while Tottenham Hotspur will host Brentford on the same day.

In another FA Cup fourth-round fixture, Chelsea and Aston Villa played out a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge, forcing a replay. Douglas Luiz initially thought he had scored for Villa in the 12th minute, but VAR ruled it out due to a handball.

Emiliano Martinez made crucial saves for Villa, denying Noni Madueke and Cole Palmer as Chelsea pressed for a breakthrough. Despite Villa's dominance in the latter stages, they couldn't find the net.

The Blues, who have won their past eight home FA Cup matches, will participate in their first replay in the competition since 2018. Chelsea's next match is away to Liverpool in a Premier League clash on January 31, while Aston Villa hosts Newcastle United a day earlier.

Nottingham Forest's encounter with Bristol City ended in a goalless draw at Ashton Gate, marking their second consecutive round holding a Premier League opponent. Forest will face Bristol City again at the City Ground in the week beginning February 5. Before that, Forest returns to Premier League action with a home fixture against Arsenal on January 30.

The FA Cup fourth round continues with three all-Premier League ties: Everton vs. Luton Town, Sheffield United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion, and Fulham vs. Newcastle United.