Five-star City see off Scunthorpe

The Championship side had tried their best at Eastlands in this fourth-round tie, and at one stage produced a fine first-half equaliser from Jonathan Forte after Stephen Ireland had given City an early lead.

But City were ahead by the break through Roque Santa Cruz, and second-half goals from Joleon Lescott, Carlos Tevez and Michael Johnson set the seal on a commanding performance.

Scunthorpe had 4,000 noisy fans with them, and they were boosted by a second minute drive from Paul Hayes that Shay Given saved, with some difficulty, to his left but a minute later Scunthorpe were guilty of standing and watching as City swept into their half, Shaun Wright-Phillips finding Ireland to his left.

The midfielder cruised on, unchallenged by any defender to calmly guide the ball past Joe Murphy from the edge of the box.

However, Scunthorpe battled hard and scored an outstanding equaliser after 26 minutes. Nigel de Jong gave the ball away in midfield, and it was swept out to Marcus Williams, racing away on the left. His neat ball into the six-yard box evaded Lescott and found Forte, who finished with ease from a couple of yards.

City were back in the lead after 38 minutes. Pablo Zabaleta sped down the right, wrong-footing Paul Hayes as he went. And when the cross arrowed into the box, Santa Cruz stepped away from Martin Woolford before rising to plant a headed back into the far corner.

From a 56th-minute corner from Wright-Phillips, Lescott rose unchallenged 12 yards out to guide a fine header into the top corner to give City the breathing space.

Scunthorpe wilted now under the constant pressure, and Carlos Tevez crowned a fine display of ceaseless running by prodding home another corner after 71 minutes, again criminally unmarked.

It was a cruise now, and substitute Johnson - coming on for only his second game of the season in place of Gareth Barry - unleashed a rising 25-yarder that soared into the top corner for the fifth.