City 5 - 0 Notts County

• Our delirious mad-cap FA Cup adventure continues. Two rounds now conquered, but in four games, and having scored, somehow, 12 whole goals. And all this without a single good team performance yet. This was, in parts, one of our worst displays this season. For the first 30 minutes of the first half and the first 20 minutes of the second we were outplayed by Notts County. They were, quite predictably, brisker and firmer and braver in their football than whichever combination of the bored and the inadequate Roberto Mancini sent out to play.

• Had County scored early then we might have had a very difficult and unpleasant afternoon upon us. It would have made this look like a daring, blissful away win. But they could not push their way through and, with technique and training on our side, we took the lead. David Silva curled a corner in, Patrick Vieira - the worst player on the pitch - darted to the near post and headed in via a hand ball. Magical.

• We then had a good spell before the break but could not make it 2-0. The second half started much like the first but, just as it seemed as if County might equalise another corner - this from Aleksandar Kolarov - was headed in by Vieira. He might not be able to play the ball any more but he is good at picking his run through a crowded box and heading in. The crowded box claimed a victim, though, as Mario Balotelli clashed heads with a defender and had to be removed.

• He was replaced by Carlos Tévez, giving him some necessary pitch-time with Edin Džeko. They combined enjoyably for two late goals which made the scoreline rather better than it might have been. First, Džeko received the ball, facing our goal and just 50 yards from it. He trapped the ball with his right foot, spun, and played Tévez through with his left. Carlitos ran through, beat the keeper and scored. The fourth came as Tévez was released wide by Gareth Barry - he looked up, paused, and chipped a cross to Džeko who headed in.

• An extra layer of flattery was applied to the scoreline by Micah Richards, who scored his most acrobatic volley for the club since his equaliser at Goodison Park in September 2006. It was good for him, because he's now playing well and consistently for the first time in years, and is surely now our first-choice right-back. Anyway, it was more than enough to send us through and on to a fifth round tie with Aston Villa at home next week. Win that, and it's Everton or Reading.