Manchester City vs Salford City Prediction

Manchester City return to FA Cup action as they will welcome League Two side Salford City to the Etihad. After a string of bad results, Manchester City redeemed themselves with a huge 4-1 win over West Ham. Their opponents in this match have been taking League Two by storm this season. Sitting third place in the league, Salford city are currently enjoying a six-game winning streak without conceding a single goal.

Key Stats

• Salford City have six wins from their last six games, keeping clean sheets in all six
• Manchester City are unbeaten in their last three games and have scored nine goals in their last five
• Manchester City are currently sixth in the Premier League, having only three wins from their last 14 matches

Team Previews, Form and Standout Players

Manchester City began their season in true fashion, going their first nine games unbeaten across all competitions. But what was to follow was one of the worst runs of results in Manchester City history. With two recent wins against Leicester and West Ham, Manchester City have only managed three wins in their last 14 games. With star midfielder Rodri ruled out for most of the season with an injury to his ACL, City need to strengthen their midfield and ensure they play with strength in a game they should dominate on paper.

Their opponents on the other hand have dominated their season so far. With a run of six wins from six games, Salford City have cemented themselves as a force to be reckon with. Former Oxford United manager Karl Robinson has been magical for Salford City since being appointed January last year. Robinson already has experience against the Sky Blues, losing twice to them with Oxford in 2018 and 2019 but is confident in his Salford side, saying in interview preparing to face Manchester City is “easy because of the quality of opposition.”

Manchester City Preview

Formation: 3-2-4-1

Predicted Line-Up: Ortega; Walker, Simpson-Pusey, Gvardiol; O’Reilly, Gundogan; Grealish, Nunes, McAtee, Doku; Haaland

Manchester City have shown signs of turning their season back around with two brilliant performances, but a lot of damage has been done. While some starters will feature, it is likely that Guardiola will field some of his younger stars. Expressing great promise in young midfielder James McAtee, Salford City provides the perfect opportunity for the Englishman the perfect chance to showcase his ability.

Salford City Preview

Formation: 3-1-4-2

Predicted Line-Up: Jones; Shephard, Tilt, Garbutt; Ashley; Mnoga, Watson, Fornah, Berkoe; Adelakun, Stockton

Robinson’s attractive brand of attacking football will pose a threat against a struggling Manchester City defence but Pep Guardiola never counts out the lower league sides. English forward Cole Stockton has been a solid striking choice for Salford City this season, collecting nine goal contributions in his campaign so far this season. With Manchester City still slighting struggling and Salford City performing incredibly well, Can the soaring League Two side cause an upset and keep their FA cup hopes alive.

Head to Head Stats

This will be the first time in which these two sides will face off against each other.

Betting Tips

On paper, Manchester City will walk this game, but Salford are a team in great scoring form and are ready to fight.

For this reason, our betting experts suggest that Man City to Win, Over 3.5 goals and Both Teams To Score is the best value tip for this game. With odds at 5/2, a stake of £10 could see a return of up £35

Final Prediction: Manchester City vs Salford City

Manchester City 3-1 Salford City