Reigning Premier League champions Manchester City host League Two side Salford in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, and we’ve got the latest team news and predicted lineups included in our match preview.
Manchester City vs Salford FA Cup Preview
Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side welcome League Two promotion chasers Salford City to the Etihad in the FA Cup third round on Saturday evening, where the Cityzens will be looking to extend their two-game winning run.
City endured a dreadful run of form between the end of October and the end of December, winning just one in 13 across all competitions, but they look to have put that behind them following back-to-back wins over Leicester and West Ham.
The reigning champions breezed to a 4-1 win over the Hammers last weekend, in which Erling Haaland netted his first league brace since mid-September, as the Cityzens climbed up to sixth place in the Premier League table.
In terms of the FA Cup, City are seven-time champions of the competition, most recently lifting the trophy in 2022/23 during their iconic treble-winning season, while they finished as runners-up to bitter rivals Manchester United last term.
A debut appearance in the @EmiratesFACup Third Round is on the horizon 👀
📆 Saturday, 17:45
🆚 Manchester City
🏟️ The Etihad Stadium#MCISAL pic.twitter.com/wlXs1StZYF— Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) January 7, 2025
Salford, meanwhile, are enjoying their best-ever performance in the cup, reaching the third round for the first time in their history, having beaten Shrewsbury and Cheltenham in the first and second rounds.
The Ammies, whose home ground is based less than four miles away from the Etihad, are enjoying a strong campaign under Karl Robinson this term, currently occupying third place in the fourth-tier table.
They come into this one off the back of six consecutive victories in the league, including a 1-0 win over MK Dons last time out. Incredibly, they have managed to keep a clean sheet in all six of the aforementioned wins.
Saturday’s fixture will be the first time that Salford and Manchester City have ever met in competitive action, with the lower-league side, part-owned by former Red Devils stars David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes, looking to cause a monumental upset.
Manchester City Team News
The hosts remain without long-term absentees Rodri (knee) and Oscar Bobb (leg), while Ruben Dias (calf), John Stones (ankle) and Ederson (leg) are doubtful for Salford’s visit.
Guardiola is expected to make numerous changes to his starting lineup, which means that Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan and James McAtee will likely be afforded minutes.
Youngsters Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Josh Wilson-Esbrand, Nico O’Reilly, Jacob Wright and Kaden Braithwaite could also be involved.
Salford Team News
The visitors are without long-term injury absentees Kelly Nmai, Dan Chesters, Josh Austerfield and Frankie Okoronkwo, while 11-time Wales international Ben Woodburn is a doubt.
Cole Stockton will almost certainly lead the line for the visitors, but if they opt to field two strikers, he will likely start alongside Hakeeb Adelakun, who scored the winner against MK Dons last time out.
Manchester City vs Salford Predicted Lineups
Manchester City Predicted Lineup:
Ortega; Walker, Simpson-Pusey, Akanji, Wilson-Esbrand; O’Reilly, Gundogan, Nunes; Doku, McAtee, Grealish
Salford Predicted Lineup:
Young; Shephard, Tilt, Garbutt; Mnoga, Watson, Ashley, Fornah, Berkoe; Adelakun, Stockton
Manchester City vs Salford FA Cup Third Round Prediction
The UK’s best football betting sites have identified City as massive 1/22 favourites to come out on top against the Ammies, and unfortunately for the visitors, we agree with the bookmakers’ assessment of the tie.
Salford are probably facing off against Manchester City at the wrong time, as the best time to cause an upset would’ve been during their dreadful run of form between the end of October and the end of December.
Now, the Cityzens are unbeaten in three and come into the tie off the back of back-to-back victories in the Premier League. We expect the reigning English champions to build on their positive results as of late with a comfortable win.
Prediction: Manchester City 4-0 Salford
