Manchester City were made to work hard by Peterborough United before sealing a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Riyad Mahrez put the Premier League leaders ahead with his side’s first attempt on target before Jack Grealish scored his first FA Cup goal.
Peterborough, bottom of the Championship, should have taken the lead with the game goalless but Sammie Szmodics scuffed his attempt.
Six-time winners City will discover their last-eight opponents on Thursday.
City have now scored 103 goals in all competitions this season.
But Peterborough gave Guardiola and his players a scare before two goals – and two assists by Phil Foden – in the space of seven second-half minutes sealed City’s passage.
Man City get the job done
City made six changes but still fielded a strong side which included the returning Zinchenko, handed the captain’s armband by Fernandinho in a sign of solidarity and support.
It was Zinchenko’s first game since his homeland was invaded by Russia and he held the Ukrainian flag on the pitch with Peterborough captain Frankie Kent before kick-off.
A message on the big screen read ‘We Stand With Ukraine’ and fans held up a banner which read ‘Zinchenko: We Stand With You’.
Zinchenko, making his first start since 12 February, had a couple of early attempts but City’s team of expensive signings and internationals failed to test keeper Steven Benda before Mahrez struck on the hour.
The Algeria winger had lots of work to do after receiving a pass from Foden but showed his quality by creating space for himself to break the deadlock.
Minutes later, Grealish showed why he is the most expensive British player of all time with a quality first touch to bring Foden’s long ball forward under control before he rolled it beyond the keeper and into the net.
City turn attention to the Manchester derby
Guardiola batted away questions about a possible treble after his side’s fourth successive away win without conceding in three different competitions.
Six points clear of nearest rivals Liverpool at the top of the Premier League, albeit having played one more game, City are approaching the business end of the season in a familiar position.
They also have one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals after establishing a 5-0 first-leg lead over Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League.
“I am not going to buy this argument,” said Guardiola when asked about the prospect of ending the season with three trophies.
Next it is the Manchester derby at Etihad Stadium, where United have triumphed on their past three visits.
Player of the match
ZinchenkoOleksandr Zinchenko
Peterborough United
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Squad number17Player nameJonesAverage rating
7.46
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Squad number42Player nameFuchsAverage rating
7.37
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Squad number23Player nameWard
Average rating7.19
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Squad number7Player nameSzmodics
Average rating7.19
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Squad number15Player namePoku
Average rating7.18
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Squad number6Player nameKent
Average rating7.18
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Squad number11Player nameGrant
Average rating7.17
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Squad number43Player nameCoulson
Average rating7.15
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Squad number2Player nameEdwards
Average rating7.12
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Squad number12Player nameKnight
Average rating7.03
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Squad number25Player nameBenda
Average rating6.67
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Squad number24Player nameMumba
Average rating6.43
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Squad number14Player nameMarriott
Average rating6.43
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Squad number16Player nameBurrows
Average rating6.35
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Squad number10Player nameBrown
Average rating6.33
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Squad number9Player nameClarke-Harris
Average rating6.28
Manchester City
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Squad number11Player nameZinchenkoAverage rating
7.70
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Squad number47Player nameFodenAverage rating
5.80
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Squad number26Player nameMahrezAverage rating
5.54
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Squad number14Player nameLaporteAverage rating
5.31
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Squad number31Player nameEdersonAverage rating
5.28
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Squad number27Player nameJoão CanceloAverage rating
5.14
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Squad number8Player nameGündoganAverage rating
5.10
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Squad number25Player nameFernandinhoAverage rating
5.09
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Squad number3Player nameRúben DiasAverage rating
5.09
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Squad number5Player nameStonesAverage rating
5.08
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Squad number6Player nameAkéAverage rating
4.95
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Squad number10Player nameGrealishAverage rating
4.72
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Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage rating
4.71
Line-ups
Peterborough
Formation 3-4-3
- 25Benda
- 12Knight
- 2Edwards
- 6Kent
- 23WardSubstituted forMumbaat 79′minutes
- 42Fuchs
- 11Grant
- 43CoulsonSubstituted forBurrowsat 79′minutes
- 15PokuSubstituted forMarriottat 71′minutes
- 17JonesSubstituted forClarke-Harrisat 71′minutes
- 7SzmodicsBooked at 70minsSubstituted forBrownat 71′minutes
Substitutes
- 5Beevers
- 9Clarke-Harris
- 10Brown
- 13Cornell
- 14Marriott
- 16Burrows
- 22Corbett
- 24Mumba
- 27Barker
Man City
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Ederson
- 27Cancelo
- 3Rúben DiasSubstituted forStonesat 45′minutes
- 6AkéBooked at 17minsSubstituted forLaporteat 45′minutes
- 11Zinchenko
- 47Foden
- 25FernandinhoBooked at 70mins
- 8Gündogan
- 26Mahrez
- 9Gabriel Jesus
- 10Grealish
Substitutes
- 5Stones
- 7Sterling
- 14Laporte
- 16Rodri
- 17De Bruyne
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 33Carson
- 84Slicker
- Referee:
- Andy Madley
- Attendance:
- 13,405
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Peterborough United 0, Manchester City 2.
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Second Half ends, Peterborough United 0, Manchester City 2.
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Jack Grealish (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Josh Knight (Peterborough United).
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Attempt missed. Phil Foden (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Riyad Mahrez with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Frankie Kent.
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Attempt missed. Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City) right footed shot from very close range is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by John Stones with a headed pass following a corner.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Bali Mumba.
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Attempt missed. Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ilkay Gündogan with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Steven Benda.
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Attempt saved. Jack Grealish (Manchester City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Oleksandr Zinchenko.
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Foul by Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City).
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Jorge Grant (Peterborough United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Phil Foden (Manchester City).
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Jonson Clarke-Harris (Peterborough United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt blocked. Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Jack Grealish (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Jeando Fuchs (Peterborough United).
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Substitution, Peterborough United. Harrison Burrows replaces Hayden Coulson.
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Substitution, Peterborough United. Bali Mumba replaces Joe Ward because of an injury.