Manchester City host League Two side Salford City in the FA Cup third round, with Pep Guardiola’s side looking to continue their promising recent form and avoid an almighty upset.
The Premier League champions have started the new year strong, securing back-to-back wins after a dismal run which saw them win just one of 13 matches in all competitions.
It will also give Guardiola a rare opportunity to overhaul the relatively small squad he currently has and give some younger members of his squad a chance.
Salford, meanwhile, sit third in the fourth tier of English football. And although the hosts will be heavy favorites to progress, a club co-owned by members of Manchester United’s ‘Class 92’ making the short trip to the Etihad will bring an extra level of spice to the occasion.
Read on to see how the two teams line up.
Manchester City team news
Nathan Ake and Savinho are the only two players to retain their places in City’s squad following the Premier League win over West Ham as, unsurprisingly, Guardiola makes nine changes.
Divin Mubama, 20, who joined the Hammers in the summer, makes his senior debut, while Ederson, Jack Grealish and Ilkay Gundogan also start.
Your city XI in the #FACup ✊
XI | Ederson, Simpson-Pusey, Ake, Nunes, Gundogan (C), O’Reilly, McAtee, Doku, Grealish, Savinho, Mubama
SUBSCRIBERS | Ortega Moreno, Kovacic, Haaland, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Gvardiol, Akanji, Foden, Lewis#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/l8OY9OSrUU
-Manchester City (@ManCity) January 11, 2025
Salford City team news
The League Two high-flyers make two changes for the short trip to the Etihad, with the arrival of Matty Lund and Kylian Kouassi.
Boss Karl Robinson, assisted by former Manchester United player Ryan Giggs in the dugout, names three under-18 players on the bench as Salford, despite their opponents’ recent poor results, look to spark what would be one of the competition’s all-time best. biggest upheavals.
Your @EmiratesFACup Ammies at Man City this afternoon 📋
♦️ 2 changes
♦️ Lund and Kouassi enter
♦️ 3 U18s on the bench#MCISAL pic.twitter.com/M94TIgpi0j– Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) January 11, 2025
