Manchester City are in a period of transition, requiring the new and the old to avoid an FA Cup shock at the hands of Plymouth Argyle. The academy graduate Nico O’Reilly scored two headers before the club’s most-decorated outfield player, Kevin De Bruyne, ended the resistance.

Plymouth could not have done more as they fought to contain City, even taking a shock lead through Maksym Talovierov but a happy ending never looked likely. The Premier League champions were made to toil by the well-drilled Pilgrims, who will rue conceding from two set pieces.