Manchester City vs Salford City predictions: Citizens may not cut loose
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- City have won their last 24 matches against sides from a lower division
- This is Salford City’s first ever appearance in the FA Cup third round
- Recommended bet: Manchester City to win 3-0
This is one of the FA Cup third-round clashes the TV cameras were never going to avoid as Premier League champions Manchester City host League Two outfit Salford, who are owned by a group of Manchester United legends.
That gives this somewhat of a derby feel and it represents the biggest game in Salford’s club history, with the Ammies playing in the Northern Premier League as recently as 10 years ago.
Salford make the short trip to the Etihad Stadium armed with a sell-out support and they are going great guns in League Two, winning six games in a row to nil to move up to third.
However, the Ammies are likely to come unstuck against seven-time FA Cup winners City, who have steadied their Premier League struggles with successive wins over Leicester and West Ham.
Team news
Ederson has recently returned to training for Manchester City and Ruben Dias is progressing well after a muscle injury, but neither are likely to be involved.
Guardiola is likely to ring the changes against League Two opposition but John Stones remains a doubt and Rodri and Oscar Bobb are long-term absentees.
Salford manager Karl Robinson is likely to go his strongest given the size of the occasion and they have a near full-strength squad having been boosted by the return to full fitness of Hakeeb Adelakun.
The stats
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City have lost only four of their last 33 FA Cup matches and they have not exited at this round of the competition since 2011-12.
The Citizens have won their last 24 matches against sides from a lower division and lost just two of their last 62 games at home in all competitions.
This will be Salford’s third meeting with Premier League opposition, previously losing 3-0 against Everton (September 2020) and 4-0 against Burnley (September 2023).
The Ammies have lost only one of their last 11 matches, recording six straight victories in League Two.
One or both teams have failed to score in Salford’s last nine matches.
Prediction
This is a tricky match to find value given the gulf in class and the fact that Pep Guardiola is likely to field a depleted side with a midweek Premier League trip to Brentford on the horizon.
City’s second-string should still have too much in reserve for Salford — a team three divisions below — but it may mean that home supporters have to settle for a more respectable scoreline.
Salford could not arrive at the Etihad in any better heart and six straight wins to nil shows that they are dogged defensively and heart to break down.
Given the derby-feel of the contest, the Ammies will not want to endure a hiding and it could be worth chancing City to triumph 3-0 at what looks to represent value.
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