Manchester City begin their FA Cup campaign as they welcome Exeter City to the Etihad Stadium.
The Blues will be hoping to use this third round tie to get back into the winning habit, after three consecutive
draws in the Premier League.
It’ll also be an opportunity for City’s fatigued players to rest and for a few academy players to have a chance in the first team, whilst for their opponents, it’ll be a memorable day for all associated with the club as they play their first away game against a Premier League club since 2015.
Here are five things to look out for in the FA Cup third round:
Academy prospects starting
The early rounds of the FA Cup have tended to be an opportunity for Pep Guardiola to try out some of the extremely talented young players produced from the City Football Academy.
Some of those to have already made it into the first team – namely Rico Lewis and James Trafford – are likely to start having mostly been squad players so far this season.
Max Alleyne will also probably start, after he was recalled from his loan at Watford and played well on his Manchester City debut in midweek.
Other academy players to have featured on the pitch and in matchday squads are Divine Mukasa, Stephen Mfuni, Reigan Heskey, Jaden Heskey, Charlie Gray and Ryan McAidoo.
It’s very unlikely that all of those players will start (unless Guardiola decides the current injury problems mean the FA Cup is very bottom priority) but Mukasa and maybe one or two of the other players on this list can expect a start.
A debut for Semenyo
Another possibility is new arrival Antoine Semenyo, whose arrival to City in a potential £64 million deal was announced on Friday morning.
Semenyo has played four games in the last 12 days so like many other of City’s players will be tired, but this will be a good opportunity for him to be welcomed in front of the new supporters in perhaps a lower stake game than what is coming up on the agenda for the Blues.
Guardiola has confirmed that he will be a part of the matchday squad, so hopefully we’ll see the 26-year-old winger make his first of many appearances in sky blue.
Who needs to rest the most?
It’s a difficult question to answer.
Nico O’Reilly got a rest against Brighton, but he also performed poorly in the three games prior to that due to fatigue, after a brilliant first half of the season. It would hardly be surprising to see him rested again.
Nathan Ake, however, could be argued to be at higher risk of injury. Besides John Stones, he’s City’s most injury prone player, and he’s one of just two currently fit senior centre backs (three if you count Alleyne.)
Moving higher up the pitch, you could make arguments for both Nico Gonzalez and Rodri either sitting out or featuring.
Bernardo Silva has always been Mr Dependable, but as he gets older he’ll need more rest, whilst Phil Foden has been awful in City’s last few games which again, I believe is down to fatigue.
And Erling Haaland is the only natural striker at the club, with the only other player at all like him in Omar Marmoush currently representing Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations. He needs to sit this one out after it’s become evident tiredness has become the better of him.
The short answer is that all of the above players, and potentially a few others (Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders, Matheus Nunes etc.) could do with a break. But Guardiola always values the FA Cup, so those who are properly dead on their feet will probably take first priority.
Exeter enjoying their big day out
It’s a big day for League One side Exeter, who have never made it into the top two divisions of English football.
Gary Caldwell’s side won’t be going into the game with any expectations of a result, but will instead be hoping to relish an opportunity to play on the biggest stage in most of the squad’s careers.
The away fans too, I’m sure will enjoy the 240 mile, nearly 5 hour trip from down south up to the Etihad. It’s a big occasion for everyone associated with the Grecians, and one that I’m sure they’ll enjoy regardless of the scoreline.
But City ending their winless run
Speaking of the scoreline – and surely City won’t lose this one.
Three draws in a row is frustrating, especially considering all of the missed chances throughout those games, but this is the perfect chance for them to stop the rot.
Players who have been performing badly have the chance to set things right against lower league opposition, whilst academy graduates can stake a claim for minutes with a fantastic performance like O’Reilly did in the third round last season.
Hopefully it won’t be an anti-climax (or worse – a famous cup upset) and City will progress through to the fourth round with an emphatic victory in front of the Etihad Stadium.
