Manchester City well-tested by Oxford United in Carabao Cup win

Manchester City were made to work but found a way past Oxford United in a 3-0 Carabao Cup victory on Tuesday night.

Pep Guardiola fielded a rotated, but very strong, XI for the third-round cup clash with the League One hosts and the Premier League club was held at bay for most of the first half-hour.

However, Man City began to find chances as the opening half wore on and finally scored their opener on 36 minutes when a deflected Brahim Diaz shot fell to Gabriel Jesus at the back post and he headed home for a 1-0 lead at the break.

The visitors came out looking to double their lead in the second half, but were once again met with stiff resistance from Oxford and Guardiola wasted no time going to his substitute's bench in the 55th minute to bring on regular starter Raheem Sterling for Diaz.

Man City had a nervous moment in the 74th minute when keeper Aro Muric left his goal wide open after he whiffed while attempting to punch a throw-in from harm's way, but the 19-year-old's defence was able to head the ball out of touch.

Minutes later, City would go two up. Teenager Phil Foden picked the ball up in his own half on the counter-attack and threaded the it through Oxford's backline to an onrushing Riyad Mahrez, who calmly slotted home past a helpless Jonathan Mitchell in goal.

And Foden then added City's third with a goal of his own just before full-time, smashing a first-time shot past Mitchell after Sterling picked him out with a perfectly-weighted through ball on the counter.