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2 days ago
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Two teams little than 5 miles isolated but separated by 64 places successful the English shot pyramid conscionable astatine the Etihad Stadium connected Saturday, arsenic Manchester City play big to Salford City successful the 3rd circular of the FA Cup.
The Citizens and the Ammies volition butt heads for the precise archetypal time, with the visitors preparing for their debut successful the 3rd circular of the competition.
Match preview
© Imago
After ending 2024 connected a much-needed precocious with a 2-0 win astatine Leicester City, Man City kick-started 2025 with a 4-1 victory astatine location to West Ham United past weekend, courtesy of 2 goals from Erling Haaland, 1 from Phil Foden and a man-of-the-match show from Savinho, who straight contributed to 3 of the hosts' 4 goals.
Man City's show was by nary means perfect, though, and Pep Guardiola has insisted that the champions-in-crisis - inactive sitting sixth successful the Premier League table and 2 points down the apical 4 - are "absolutely not" backmost to their champion conscionable yet.
Before shifting their attraction to important Premier League and Champions League fixtures aboriginal this month, the Citizens volition statesman their quest to triumph an eighth FA Cup this play and their 3rd successful the past 7 years nether Guardiola.
Last season's losing finalists to rivals Manchester United person progressed to astatine slightest the semi-final signifier of the FA Cup successful each of the past six years, portion they person not been eliminated from the 3rd circular since losing 3-2 to the Red Devils successful 2012. Including replays, Man City person won their past 11 third-round ties by an awesome aggregate people of 46-4.
The Citizens person besides had plentifulness of occurrence against teams from little divisions successful home cupful competitions, winning each of their past 24 specified matches (across some the FA Cup and EFL Cup) by an aggregate people of 88-12, since losing 2-1 astatine location to Wigan Athletic successful the FA Cup sixth circular successful 2018.
© Imago
Salford City person made past arsenic they person progressed to the 3rd circular of the FA Cup for the archetypal clip aft beating chap League Two broadside Cheltenham Town 2-0 successful the 2nd circular astatine the extremity of November.
That triumph represents 1 of 8 without reply that Karl Robinson's men person celebrated successful their past 9 matches crossed each competitions, and a superb six-game winning streak successful the 4th tier has propelled them into the promotion picture.
The Ammies extended their good tally of signifier with a constrictive 1-0 occurrence astatine Robinson's erstwhile nine MK Dons past weekend, courtesy of a first-half extremity from Hakeeb Adelakun, and they person climbed up to 3rd successful the League Two standings, with lone 2 points separating themselves and second-placed Crewe Alexandra with Doncaster Rovers down successful seventh spot.
Salford are present preparing for conscionable their third-ever gathering with Premier League opposition, having antecedently mislaid 3-0 distant against Everton (2020) and 4-0 astatine location to Burnley (2023) successful the EFL Cup.
Even though Robinson has admitted that it volition beryllium "very hard" for his in-form Salford broadside to support a cleanable expanse successful Saturday's clash with Man City, helium has insisted that his squad volition proceed to "play the aforesaid way" against a Citizens outfit that person won each of their erstwhile 17 matches erstwhile facing an hostile for the archetypal time.
Manchester City signifier (all competitions):
Salford City FA Cup form:
Salford City signifier (all competitions):
Team News
© Imago
Man City trio Rodri (ACL), Ruben Dias (muscle) and John Stones (ankle) stay sidelined, and Ederson (knock) is simply a doubt, portion Oscar Bobb has made a invited instrumentality to grooming this week aft implicit 4 months retired with a limb fracture, though Saturday's crippled whitethorn travel excessively soon for the attacker.
Guardiola is expected to ringing the changes, with academy starlets Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Josh Wilson-Esbrand, James McAtee, Nico O'Rielly and Jacob Wright each successful contention to feature. Meanwhile, Divin Mubama - a summertime signing from West Ham - could beryllium handed his City debut up front, with Haaland expected to beryllium 1 of respective elder stars rested.
Seeking to beryllium his worthy nether Guardiola, out-of-form Jack Grealish volition beryllium pushing to commencement connected the near flank, portion the likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Matheus Nunes and Jeremy Doku could besides beryllium recalled.
As for Salford, they are acceptable to beryllium without James Chester, Dan Chesters, Kelly Nmai, Francis Okoronkwo and Josh Austerfield arsenic they proceed to retrieve from injury, portion Ben Woodburn volition beryllium assessed up of kickoff.
Robinson is expected to sanction a beardown starting lineup that includes apical scorer Cole Stockton, who has netted six of his 9 goals this play crossed his past 9 appearances.
A backmost 3 of skipper Curtis Tilt, Liam Shephard and Luke Garbutt - who has been nominated for December's League Two Player of the Month grant - is acceptable to stay intact, portion cardinal duo Tyrese Fornah and Ossama Ashley could beryllium joined successful midfield by Ryan Watson.
Manchester City imaginable starting lineup:
Ortega; Walker, Simpson-Pusey, Akanji, Wilson-Esbrand; O'Reilly, Gundogan; Doku, McAtee, Grealish; Mubama
Salford City imaginable starting lineup:
Young; Shephard, Tilt, Garbutt; Taylor, Watson, Ashley, Fornah, Berkoe; Adelakun, Stockton
We say: Manchester City 3-0 Salford City
The unpredictable quality of the FA Cup is what makes the prestigious contention truthful special, and adjacent though Salford City participate Saturday's contention arsenic immense underdogs, they volition person their tails up heading to the Etihad arsenic they boast a beardown tally of form.
Man City are expected to marque changes, but Guardiola perchance leaning connected youthful, energetic and bare players who are keen to involvement a assertion for much first-team opportunities whitethorn really play into their hands, and we are backing the hosts to unafraid harmless transition done to the 4th round.
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