Leyton Orient 1-2 Manchester City: FA Cup Round 4 result as super sub Kevin De Bruyne nets late winner to avoid upset

Kevin De Bruyne struck a late winner as Manchester City survived an almighty scare to secure a 2-1 comeback victory over League One underdogs Leyton Orient in a hard-fought FA Cup fourth round tie at Gaughan Group Stadium.

The O’s were excellent throughout and sent their supporters into dreamland on 16 minutes when on-loan Tottenham Hotspur starlet Jamie Donley produced a moment of sheer brilliance with a first-time 40-yard lob that hit the underside of the crossbar and ended up in the back of the net via goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.

Donley, 20, then produced heroics on his own goal-line as he hacked away Bernardo Silva’s close-range effort to ensure Richie Wellins’ men remained in charge at the interval.

City probed without completely taking control but pulled level in fortuitous circumstances on 56 minutes when substitute Abdukodir Khusanov inadvertently deflected home Rico Lewis’ shot to snare his first goal for the club.

Orient continued to cause problems on the break and at set pieces, but it was substitute De Bruyne who made sure City would avoid an upset when he clipped a lovely finish beyond Josh Keeley 12 minutes from time.

Stream the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League and much more live on TNT Sports and discovery+

TNT Sports will show over 500 matches from the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League, as well as exclusive Premier League games across the 2024/25 season.

The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination.

"I thought we did well. We knew it’d be a tough game, but we gave a good account of ourselves. It’s obviously disappointing to lose, but I’m proud of all of the boys," said Donley in a post-match interview with BBC Sport.

On his audacious long-range strike that led to the own goal off Ortega via the bar: "I hit it well and thought it had a good chance… delighted to see it go in.

"I knew it fell for me nicely, saw him off his line, luckily it went in, but it would have been nicer if we’d won."

On the occasion of taking on the Premier League champions: "You could feel it with the crowd. It was a special moment for the club.

"They are a top team, they’ve not been doing as well as in recent years, but you can see quality they have."

"They had to be patient. Orient were fantastic and defended well," he said on BBC Sport.

"But when you bring a player like Kevin De Bruyne on, you worry for them as he can make the difference and today he was [the difference].

He added: "Pep was not happy on the touchline. He’ll be content with the win, but they have to be better than that."

It wasn’t pretty and in the end Pep Guardiola needed one of his big guns off the bench to snatch the victory.

De Bruyne’s strike keeps The Citizens’ revival on track and is a decent reaction from the humbling 5-1 loss at Arsenal last time out.  

It sees the reigning Premier League champions extend their record run of 18 unbeaten matches against lower-league sides in the FA Cup since last losing 1-0 to Wigan Athletic in a fifth round tie in February 2018.

City, who were finalists last year after lifting the trophy for a seventh time in 2023, are now in the hat for Monday’s draw with the fifth round taking place on the weekend of March 1-2.

Next up, The Citizens host Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off on Tuesday night, meaning they will be delighted to have avoided extra time too. 

Leyton Orient are back in League One action at home to Mansfield Town on the same evening. 

Leyton Orient 1-2 Man City.

Orient are throwing the kitchen sink at City.

It bounces around in the area again, but Lewis gets across to make a goal-saving block!

Four minutes added.

A free kick mid-way inside the City half sees GK Keeley - who scored against Oldham in a previous round - sent up.

The ball is whipped deep to the far post where the unmarked Happe arrives to volley just over.

A huge chance goes begging!

Obiero booked for halting Marmoush's break.

The hosts wreak haovc from a long throw on the right. City don't deal with it and Pep and Co are relieved to see Pratley's shot on the turn fly over the bar.

Agyei, Obiero and Ball on.

Donley, Brown, Gailbraith off.

Stream the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League and much more live on TNT Sports and discovery+

City have their tails up now and there's much more confidence and belief in the visiting players.

Orient, understandably, look tired.

Foden and KDB were needed to try and avoid an upset/extra time and the latter has delivered within minutes of taking to the pitch.

The PL champions lead as KDB races after a ball into the left side of the area and dinks a lovely angled shot beyond the 'keeper.

Cooper booked for a nasty lunge down the back of Marmoush' achilles as the City forward led a charge on the break.

Ortega springs to his left to push away Kelman's thumping strike from a tough angle on the right side of the area.

Kelman drives at the City defence in the inside-right channel, bursts into the area but can only fizz a cross-shot along the six-yard box with no red shirts in the middle in support.

De Bruyne and Foden on.

O'Reilly and McAtee off.

Orient can't make anything of a long throw from the left, but they keep the ball for a decent period to give their defence some respite.