Man City Player Ratings vs Leyton Orient with One 4/10 as Nico González’s Debut Goes Wrong

Manchester City survived a major FA Cup scare against League One’s Leyton Orient, edging through to the fifth round after an early setback.

A packed Brisbane Road witnessed a dream start for the hosts as Jamie Donley capitalized on City’s shaky opening, scoring an audacious long-range strike that left Stefan Ortega helpless. Meanwhile, Josh Keeley produced a string of fine saves at the other end to frustrate Pep Guardiola’s side.

With both centre-backs substituted at half-time, City finally asserted control. Rico Lewis equalized via a deflection off Abdukodir Khusanov before Kevin De Bruyne came off the bench to seal victory. Here’s how the players fared:

Manchester City Player Ratings

Starting XI

Stefan Ortega – 5/10
Made an early save but will hate seeing the replay of Donley’s goal. Getting chipped from near the halfway line is never a good look.

Rico Lewis – 6/10
Exposed defensively, particularly in the first half, but redeemed himself with the crucial equalizer. Looked more assured going forward.

Maximo Perrone – 5/10
Leyton Orient targeted his side, and it showed. Composed at times, but City’s backline looked rattled early on.

Rúben Dias – 5/10
Visibly frustrated throughout his time on the pitch. Struggled to rally his teammates in the first half before being hooked at the break.

Tom O’Reilly – 4/10
The lowest-rated City player on the pitch. Seemed completely off the pace and out of sync with his teammates. A tough outing for the youngster.

Nico González – 5/10
A debut to forget. Lost possession in the buildup to Donley’s goal, then limped off injured after just 20 minutes. Worst possible start to his City career.

Ilkay Gündogan – 5/10
A mixed display in midfield. Dropped into the No. 6 role but struggled to impose himself on the game. Misread Marmoush’s movements several times.

James McAtee – 5/10
Showed glimpses of creativity, but his final ball lacked precision. Struggled to make a real impact.

Savinho – 6/10
Lively in flashes, causing problems for the Orient defence. However, his decision-making in key moments let him down.

Jack Grealish – 6/10
Started sluggishly but grew into the game. Saw more of the ball as the match progressed and looked sharper in the second half.

Omar Marmoush – 6/10
Should have won a penalty and forced Keeley into action multiple times. Lacked a finishing touch but remained a threat.

Substitutes

Bernardo Silva (for González, 22’) – 6/10
Brought some much-needed composure but still made a few uncharacteristic errors. Had a shot cleared off the line.

John Stones (for Dias, 46’) – 7/10
City’s best defender on the night. Stabilized the backline and dictated the tempo. A vital presence.

Abdukodir Khusanov (for Perrone, 46’) – 6/10
Fortunate to get an assist for the equalizer but performed better defensively in the second half.

Kevin De Bruyne (for O’Reilly, 72’) – 6/10
Game-changer. Made a great run and finished clinically to win it for City.

Phil Foden (for McAtee, 72’) – 6/10
Added some directness and energy in midfield. Eager to make things happen.

Not Used:

Carson, Akanji, Nunes, Mubama

Verdict

Manchester City’s performance left a lot to be desired, especially in the first half, where they looked disjointed and vulnerable. However, the introduction of senior players like John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne helped tilt the game in their favor.

The major concern remains Nico González’s injury, which adds to City’s midfield woes ahead of the looming Champions League showdown with Real Madrid. Pep Guardiola will be hoping it’s nothing serious as City navigate a demanding fixture list.