Middlesbrough 0 Manchester City 2: Pep Guardiola’s side seal a place in the FA Cup semi-final with easy win at the Riverside

MANCHESTER CITY booked a place in the FA Cup semi-final as David Silva and Sergio Aguero fired them to victory over Middlesbrough.

Silva gave City the ideal start when he opened the scoring after just two minutes, lashing home from close range as the Boro defence when missing.

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Aitor Karanka's Premier League strugglers at least took the game to City in a desperate search for an equaliser but failed to carve out a genuine chance.

And City made their dominance pay midway through the second half as Auguero

touched home from six yards to book a last four dfate at Wembley.

FACTS, STATS, GOALS AND LOLS

• Last time Middlesbrough reached the FA Cup quarter finals was in 2009 - the year they were relegated. they will be hoping history does not repeat itself.
• It is four years since City last reached the last four of this competition - another FA Cup trip to Wembley is overdue for the Sky Blues.

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• Club captain Vincent Kompany was named in the matchday squad and was on the team bus -to stadium but then missed out on the 18.
• Patrick Bamford got one of the goals when Boro shocked City at the Etihad in this competition two years ago. Before kick off here, he was hanging about in the media suite.
• David Silva obviously benefited from an hour's rest on Wednesday night. The little Spaniard showed he is still essential to his club with the early opener.
• Raheem Sterling was also rested against Stoke - but his hand in the goal means he has now been directly involved in 22 goals in 35 appearances this term.
• City fans have not forgotten Alvaro Negredo. The 'Beast' was given a huge welcome from the visiting supporters when he came on as a first half sub. 'Once a Blue, always a Blue' they sang.

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• Boro have managed seven goals in three matches in the FA Cup this season going into this one - that's the same as they've got in their last 14 in the league.
• Aitor Karanka is facing something of a defensive crisis and it was worsened when Bernardo limped off early in the second half. That's four defenders out now.
• Maybe Jonathan Woodgate - sat watching in the stands - should come out of retirement.
• Guardiola would have been frustrated at City's failure to kill of Boro. He must have wanted to get some of his stars off ahead of Wednesday's trip to Monaco.

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• Gaston Ramierz was booed on by some home fans when he was introduced midway through the second half. Not ideal when he's thrown on to save the game.
• You can't say City haven't earned their place at Wembley. They've been drawn away in every round so far. To go with the two away draws in the EFL Cup.
• That's six goals in five games now for Sergio Aguero. The idea that Guardiola might not want him any more is getting crazier by the week. That's 160 now in less than six years.

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

Middlesbrough: Guzan 8, Barragan 6, Bernardo 5 (Fry 6), Gibson 6, Fabio 6, Clayton 6, Leadbitter 6 (Ramirez 6), De Roon 6, Stuani 6, Traore 7, Gestede 6 (Negredo 6)

Subs: Valdes, Husband, Forshaw, Fischer

Manchester City: Bravo 7, Zabaleta 8, Sterling 8, Aguero 7 (Iheanacho 6), De Bruyne 7, Sane 8 (Nolito 6), Silva 8, Clichy 6, Stones 7, Otamendi 7, Toure 7 (Fernando 6)

Subs: Caballero, Kolarov, Delph, Fernandinho

Star Man: David Silva

THE BIG PICTURE

WHAT THEY SAID

Manchester City captain Pablo Zabaleta: "This is never the easiest place to come and play but we were much the better side and deserved to win.

"We created lots of chances and probably should have scored more goals than we did."

City boss Pep Guardiola said: "I am so happy we have made it to the semi-finals. We created so many chances the game should have been over earlier than it was."