Salford City aim for Etihad redemption after last year’s FA Cup mauling

Manchester City welcome Manchester neighbours Salford City to the Etihad Stadium for the second successive FA Cup campaign on Saturday afternoon.

Pep Guardiola’s side claimed a comfortable 3-0 victory over Fulham in midweek’s Premier League clash.

City demolished Exeter City 10-1 in the third round of the FA Cup to reach this stage of the competition.

Karl Robinson’s side fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Accrington Stanley in their last outing in League Two.

Salford progressed to this stage of the competition by downing Swindon 3-2 in the third round of the FA Cup.

Match preview

This is the second-ever meeting between Manchester City and Salford City, with the Citizens winning 8-0 in the FA Cup third round last season.

Salford City have lost all three of their competitive meetings with Premier League sides by an aggregate score of 15-0.

The Citizens have won their last 20 matches in the FA Cup against sides from outside the Premier League, scoring 82 goals. At home, they’ve won their last 11 of these matches by an aggregate score of 59-5, hammering Exeter City 10-1 in the third round at the Etihad.

The Ammies are playing in the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in their brief history. The last time a side from the fourth division or lower eliminated a team in the top three of the top flight was February 1971, with Colchester United beating league leaders Leeds United in the fifth round.

Man City’s Jérémy Doku has been involved in six goals in three FA Cup appearances against sides from outside the Premier League (3 goals, 3 assists), scoring or assisting on average every 22 minutes in these games.

Team news

Manchester City

Erling Haaland was withdrawn at halftime against Fulham on Wednesday, and he’s not expected to be risked for this fixture.

Mateo Kovacic, Josko Gvardiol, Jeremy Doku and Savinho are sidelined with injuries.

Salford City

Jay Bird, Tom Edwards, Ade Oluwo, Michael Rose and Kadeem Harris are in the visitor’s infirmary, while Haji Mnoga and Brandon Cooper will be assessed ahead of kickoff.

Predicted line-ups

Manchester City: Trafford, Lewis, Khusanov, Alleyne, Ake, Gonzalez, McAidoo, Reijnders, Foden, Cherki, Marmoush.

Salford City: Young, Turton, Dorrington, Garbutt, Butcher, Longelo, Grant, Woodburn, N’Mai, Graydon, Udoh.