City Host ‘Class of 92’ Salford in FA Cup Mishmatch

Manchester City takes a brief pause from its intense Premier League title battle with Arsenal to welcome League Two neighbors Salford City to the Etihad Stadium for the FA Cup fourth round. 

Pep Guardiola’s side are riding high after a crucial week saw them defeat Liverpool and Fulham, while the visitors—owned by Manchester United’s ‘Class of 92’—are looking to avoid a repeat of last season’s 8-0 drubbing in this same fixture.

Match Information

Kick-off Time: 3:00 p.m. GMT
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England
Referee: Matt Donohue
VAR: Not Used (FA Cup rules for non-PL grounds/stages vary, but available at PL grounds)

How to Watch Man City vs. Salford City on TV, Live Stream

Country

TV Channel/Live Stream

United Kingdom

TNT Sports, Discovery+

United States

NBC, Peacock

Global

City+ (Commentary)

Manchester City: Chasing a Quadruple?

The City machine is purring again. After a dramatic late win at Anfield, City thumped Fulham 3-0 midweek to close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to just three points. Now, they turn their attention to the FA Cup, a competition where they have been ruthless against lower-league opposition.

In the third round, City annihilated Exeter City 10-1, becoming the first team to score double figures in the FA Cup since 1960. History suggests another heavy scoreline could be on the cards; City have won their last 20 FA Cup games against teams from outside the Premier League, scoring 82 goals in the process. At the Etihad, they have won the last 11 of these ties by an aggregate score of 59-5.

Salford City: A Free Hit for the Ammies

For Salford City, this is a dream tie, albeit a daunting one. They reached the fourth round for the first time in their history after a chaotic 3-2 win over Swindon Town. However, their league form has dipped recently, with Karl Robinson’s side losing two of their last three League Two games, including a 1-0 defeat to Accrington Stanley that saw them slip to sixth in the table.

The Ammies have faced Premier League opposition three times in competitive fixtures and lost all three without scoring a goal (0-15 aggregate), including the bruising 8-0 loss to City last season.

Team News & Injuries

Manchester City

Guardiola is expected to rotate heavily. Erling Haaland is unlikely to be risked due to his “niggles.”

John Stones is back in contention after being an unused sub midweek, but Josko Gvardiol (tibia), Mateo Kovacic (ankle), Jeremy Doku (calf), and Savinho remain out.

This opens the door for youth. 17-year-old Ryan McAidoo, who scored on his debut against Exeter, is pushing for a start. Omar Marmoush is expected to lead the line, supported by Rayan Cherki and Nico Gonzalez.

Salford City

The visitors are missing Jay Bird and Tom Edwards (long-term). Haji Mnoga and Brandon Cooper are doubts.

Tottenham loanee Alfie Dorrington is set to start in a back three. Up front, January signing Ryan Graydon—who scored twice against Swindon—should partner Daniel Udoh.

Former Liverpool and Sunderland forward Fabio Borini (34) will be hoping for minutes off the bench against his old rivals; he previously scored against City in the 2014 League Cup final.

Probable Lineups

Manchester City (4-1-4-1):

Trafford, Lewis, Khusanov, Alleyne, Ake, Gonzalez, McAidoo, Reijnders, Foden, Cherki, Marmoush

Salford City (3-1-4-2):

Young, Turton, Dorrington, Garbutt, Butcher, Longelo, Grant, Woodburn, N’Mai, Graydon, Udoh

Recent Form (Last 5 Matches)

Manchester City (W - W - D - W - W)

3-0 vs Fulham (H)
2-1 vs Liverpool (A)
3-1 vs Newcastle (H)
2-2 vs Tottenham (A)
2-0 vs Galatasaray (H)

Salford City (L - W - L - W - W)

0-1 vs Accrington (A)
2-0 vs Tranmere (A)
0-1 vs Chesterfield (H)
1-0 vs Bristol Rovers (H)
3-2 vs Swindon (H) (FA Cup)

Comparative Statistics (FA Cup)

Statistic

Man City (PL)

Salford City (L2)

Rd 3 Result

10-1 vs Exeter

3-2 vs Swindon

Avg. Goals Scored

10.0

3.5

Avg. Goals Conceded

1.0

1.0

Clean Sheets

0

1

Top Scorer

Rico Lewis (2)

Ryan Graydon (2)

Head-to-Head

Jan 2025 (FA Cup): Man City 8-0 Salford City
This is only the second competitive meeting between the two sides.

Coaches’ Corner

Guardiola on Bernardo’s Future and Haaland’s Fitness

Speaking ahead of the match, Pep Guardiola addressed both immediate team concerns and long-term transfer rumors.

On Erling Haaland: “Erling is not 100% ready. We will see how he feels. The doctor told me it’s not a big problem, but he had some discomfort during the game [vs Fulham], which is why he didn’t play the second half. We will check today if he will be in the squad.”
On Bernardo Silva Rumors: With speculation mounting about the Portuguese midfielder leaving in the summer, Guardiola was clear: “He might talk, but he leads the team with his performance. No one in the dressing room can deny that. I have no idea about the future. I told him that whenever he decides, he must come and tell me. Until then, I know nothing.”
On the Match: “My priority is to beat Salford and go to the next stage. We are tired and can rest after tomorrow’s game… We must do our job.”

Match Analysis

While the “magic of the cup” is always a talking point, the gulf in class here is immense. Even with a heavily rotated squad featuring youngsters like McAidoo and Alleyne, City’s second string includes internationals like Ake, Foden, and Reijnders.

Salford will look to stay compact with a back five (led by Spurs loanee Dorrington), but their recent failure to score against Accrington and Chesterfield suggests they lack the firepower to trouble City’s defense. With Omar Marmoush eager to impress and Rayan Cherki pulling the strings, expect City to dominate possession and cruise into the fifth round.