It’s been a pretty wretched season for Manchester City, compared to their ridiculously high standards, but the FA Cup could offer Pep Guardiola’s side salvation.
The 2024 beaten finalists have as good a chance as anyone to go all the way in this year’s competition with both Liverpool and Arsenal exiting before the fifth round. City thumped Salford before overcoming a 1-0 deficit at Leyton Orient to make it into the last 16, and victory over giant killers Plymouth on Saturday will send them into the quarter-finals.
Arne Slot paid the price for heavy rotation against Argyle in round four, and while Guardiola’s set to make a number of changes from Wednesday’s 1-0 win at Spurs, Plymouth will take on a strong City side.
Here’s how the Cityzens could line up at the Etihad on Saturday evening.
GK: Stefan Ortega – Ederson has regained his place as City’s number one, so Ortega gets reverted back to cup keeper.
RB: Rico Lewis – Guardiola went back to Matheus Nunes in midweek and Spurs weren’t able to take advantage. The converted midfielder got through 90 minutes, making a Lewis start here a good bet.
CB: Vitor Reis – We haven’t seen much of Reis since he joined the club, with fellow teenage winter arrival Abdukodir Khusanov settling in quickly after a tough debut.
CB: Nathan Ake – The Dutchman was an unused substitute in the week after starting against Liverpool. Ruben Dias could take a breather as a result.
LB: Nico O’Reilly – Guardiola utilised midfielder-by-trade O’Reilly at left-back in the fourth round, and the academy graduate could offer Josko Gvardiol respite again this weekend.
CM: Ilkay Gundogan – Gundogan’s City reunion hasn’t quite gone to plan, with the veteran struggling to produce at the highest level week after week.
CM: Bernardo Silva – Guardiola has been less hesitant to drop Bernardo in recent weeks, with the Portuguese international taking a seat on the bench against Liverpool and Spurs.
RM: Phil Foden – With Savinho and Jeremy Doku in good form and poised to be preserved for next weekend, there will be room for Foden to operate behind the striker.
AM: Kevin De Bruyne – De Bruyne’s decline was evident in the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool, but the Belgian can still dominate against this level of opposition. The Belgian was the match-winner in round four.
LM: Jack Grealish – Doku was excellent in the week and a shoo-in to start at Nottingham Forest, so there could be a chance for Grealish to shine against the Championship strugglers.
ST: Omar Marmoush – There’s no need to wheel out Erling Haaland here, especially with City now boasting an able deputy in Marmoush.
