Premier League giants Manchester City are all set to square up against Salford City in the third round of the FA Cup.
English fourth-division outfit Salford City are all set to hit the road to face giants Manchester City at the Etihad in the FA Cup. This is all set to be the first meeting between the two teams, and it is the first time Salford have made it to the 3rd round of the competition.
Pep Guardiola’s team are going through one of their most difficult seasons in recent history. Manchester City are sixth in the Premier League with just 10 wins in their 20 outings. The positive for City is that they have won their last two outings and given the kind of squad they have, Guardiola’s team should make it three wins in a row.
The visitors are third in EFL League Two. While Salford City have been a dominant force in the fourth tier, they will be going up against one of the best teams in England and it won’t be easy for sure.
Salford City have made it this far with wins over Shrewsbury Town and Cheltenham Town. Now, they will be looking to script history with a win over Manchester City, although it looks very unlikely. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola’s team remains without the services of Rodri, Ruben Dias, and John Stones. Ederson is a doubt with a knock and is unlikely to be involved here. Meanwhile, Oscar Bob has resumed training this week, although he is not yet ready to take the field.
The Spanish manager is expected to make wholesale changes to the XI that started in their last outing when Manchester City take on Salford City this weekend. He will be handing opportunities to some of his academy graduates.
City will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Stefan Ortega will be in goal. Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Manuel Akanji should feature in the heart of the defence, while Kyle Walker and Josh Wilson-Esbrand should be the full-backs for the home team.
As for the midfield unit, Nico O’Reilly should start alongside Ilkay Gundogan in the centre of the park. The duo will try to control the tempo of the game. Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish will feature on the flanks. They will look to use their pace and dribbling ability to create chances.
Meanwhile, James McAtee will be the attacking midfielder. Finally, Erling Haaland could be rested for this one, with Divin Mubama getting an opportunity to make his Manchester City debut this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Ortega; Walker, Simpson-Pusey, Akanji, Wilson-Esbrand; O’Reilly, Gundogan; Doku, McAtee, Grealish; Mubama
Salford City
The visitors will be without the services of James Chester, Dan Chesters, Kelly N’Mai, Francis Okoronkwo, and Josh Austerfield as they are all out injured. Meanwhile, Ben Woodburn’s availability is not a certainty as he will be assessed ahead of kick-off.
Salford City will look to name the strongest possible XI as they aim for a historic win against one of the biggest teams in the country. They will line up in a 3-5-2 formation, where Matty Young will be in goal.
The back three will consist of Curtis Tilt, Liam Shephard, and Luke Garbutt. They will have significant support from Jon Taylor and Kevin Berkoe, who will feature as the wing-back.
In the centre of the park, Ryan Watson will start alongside Tyrese Fornah and Ossama Ashley. They will have a tough day at the office as they will try to shield the back line and maintain the structure. Hakeeb Adelakun will partner with Cole Stockton in the final third of the pitch.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Young; Shephard, Tilt, Garbutt; Taylor, Watson, Ashley, Fornah, Berkoe; Adelakun, Stockton
Key Stats
- Salford are all set to square up against Manchester City for the very first time.
- The visitors are heading into this fixture on the back of six straight wins.
- City have won their last 17 games against teams they have faced for the first time since September 2018.
- This is Salford’s first-ever FA Cup third-round fixture.
- Pep Guardiola’s team have been eliminated at this stage of the FA Cup since 2012.
Player to Watch
Jeremy Doku
Doku will cause a lot of problems for Salford City from the right flank. He has the pace and the skills to take on the best defenders, and the four-tier outfit might find it difficult to keep him in check. The Belgian international has three goals and four assists in the ongoing campaign, and he will be eager to add to it in this FA Cup fixture.
Prediction
Manchester City 4-0 Salford City
Manchester City might not have been at their best for majority of the first half. However, they have bounced back with two consecutive wins and will be eyeing another win here. While Salford are heading into this fixture on the back of six straight wins, they will find it difficult to get going against one of the best teams in England. The Hard Tackle predicts an easy 4-0 win for the home team.
