Pep Guardiola jokingly credited Kevin De Bruyne with saving his job after the Belgian’s late goal rescued Manchester City from FA Cup humiliation.
Guardiola was all smiles as De Bruyne came off the bench to net a 79th-minute winner, securing City’s place in the fifth round.
The dramatic moment came after Leyton Orient fans had taunted the City boss about getting the sack, following a shock own goal from Stefan Ortega that handed the League One side an early lead.
City needed a stroke of fortune to draw level, as a deflected effort off defender Abdukodir Khusanov helped restore parity before Kevin De Bruyne sealed the comeback.
Guardiola said: “They were singing ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’. It’s a routine in all the stadiums right now.
“But, with this result, I think my chairman is not going to sack me!
“It was a fantastic game. I don’t know if the vibe is like this in League One for every single game, but it was really good in the stadium.
“You must behave properly in places like this. How many surprises have there been in the FA Cup throughout the long history?
“Our position is a little unstable emotionally and we have a lot of injuries.
“But that’s why these results make me so proud and so happy.”
Guardiola added: “My first away game was against Stoke City – and I realised immediately what the game in England is like. Now Nico knows.
“Outside the first 10 minutes, we played a really good game.
“It’s impossible to control a game going into the last few minutes winning 2-1. You are always going to suffer.
“It’s my ninth season in England. I have played many times in this incredible competition.
“We were lucky in the end because they had chances but it’s nice to be in the next round.”
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