Manchester City assistant manager David Platt believes that it was no fluke that defender Pablo Zabaleta scored the winning goal in his side's victory over Stoke City in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.

The Argentinian international arrived late in the penalty area to score the winning goal six minutes from time in City's 1-0 win and Platt has insisted that Zabaleta's contribution further forward is fully deserved.

Platt told reporters: "It's not by luck that Zaba gets into those positions. The way that we play we get a lot of players forward, Zaba's been in those positions many many times and he's tucked it away nicely as well.

"When you've got players of the ilk that we've got, they all work hard and do what they have to do but you need to sprinkle in to that mix those players that often go under the radar.

"What's pleasing is that he scores a goal and gets some headlines, but he's not bothered about that, those kind of players aren't, it's not what they're playing for."

Zabaleta's goal at the Britannia Stadium was his seventh for Manchester City since he joined the club in 2008.