Man City vs Salford: FA Cup Third Round Preview

Manchester City open their FA Cup campaign with a third-round tie against League Two outfit Salford City at the Etihad Stadium this Saturday. While Pep Guardiola’s side look to secure a third successive win in all competitions, Salford aim to pull off one of the biggest upsets in their history.

The Cityzens, after a spell of inconsistency, have bounced back with commanding victories over Leicester City and West Ham United. With upcoming fixtures against Chelsea, PSG, and Arsenal, Guardiola may use this opportunity to rotate his squad.

Meanwhile, Salford, owned by a group of former Manchester United players, are in fine form, riding a six-game winning streak without conceding. The League Two side will head into this clash full of confidence but face a formidable challenge against last season’s FA Cup finalists.

Match Details

Location: Manchester, England
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Date: Saturday, 11 January
Kick-off Time: 17:45 GMT / 12:45 ET / 09:45 PT
Referee: Joshua Smith

Head-to-Head Record

• This will be the first competitive meeting between Manchester City and Salford City.

Current Form (All Competitions)

Manchester City

• Man City 4-1 West Ham (04/01/25)
• Leicester 0-2 Man City (29/12/24)
• Man City 1-1 Everton (26/12/24)
• Aston Villa 2-1 Man City (21/12/24)
• Man City 1-2 Man Utd (15/12/24)

Salford City

• MK Dons 0-1 Salford (04/01/25)
• Harrogate 0-2 Salford (01/01/25)
• Salford 1-0 Morecambe (29/12/24)
• Salford 3-0 Barrow (26/12/24)
• Accrington 0-2 Salford (21/12/24)

How to Watch Man City vs Salford

United Kingdom: BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Website
United States: ESPN+, ESPN App
Canada: Sportsnet World Now, Sportsnet Now, Sportsnet World, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet Now Plus

Man City Team News

Manchester City are likely to rest several key players, with injuries further limiting Guardiola’s options.

• Unavailable Players: John Stones, Ruben Dias, Rodri, Oscar Bobb.
• Doubtful: Ederson (match fitness).

Guardiola may turn to academy prospects like Nico O’Reilly, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, and James McAtee to fill in, while experienced players such as Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish provide stability.

Predicted Lineup (3-2-4-1):
Ortega; Walker, Simpson-Pusey, Gvardiol; O’Reilly, Gundogan; Doku, McAtee, Nunes, Grealish; Haaland.

Salford Team News

Salford are enjoying an impressive run of form and are likely to field their strongest XI despite their push for automatic promotion in League Two.

Key players include Wales international James Chester and former Liverpool academy product Ben Woodburn, although the latter is doubtful due to injury.

Predicted Lineup (3-5-2):
Young; Edwards, Negru, Berkoe; Taylor, Fornah, Ashley, Lund, Garbutt; Kouassi, Stockton.

Score Prediction

Manchester City will look to maintain their momentum and progress to the fourth round with a comfortable win. Salford’s defensive organization and form could pose some challenges, but Guardiola’s side have the firepower to secure a dominant victory.

Prediction: Man City 4-1 Salford