Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has promised to field a strong side for tomorrow’s FA Cup fourth round clash at home against Burnley FC. That’s bad news for the Clarets, who reside just above the drop zone in the Premier League table right now.
They’ll face a City side that will feature none of the academy players who dispatched Burton in Wednesday night’s EFL Cup semi-final. Burnley will obviously be massive underdogs in this one, as they take on a City side that is nearing full-fitness.
With left-back Benjamin Mendy being eased back into it following recovery from knee surgery, only team captain Vincent Kompany and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo (Achilles) will be sidelined for this one.
“Except Vinnie, they’re fit and everybody can play. Tomorrow, we are not going to play any player from the academy,” said Guardiola at his news conference today.
The Spaniard also made it known that he will go full bore on trying to advance his side through the tournament.
“This is the FA Cup against a Premier League team, Burnley. We are going to go with the strongest team to win the game,” he said.
Flipping over to Burnley, legendary former City keeper Joe Hart will not have another glorious homecoming this time around.
Hart was honored when he returned for a league fixture this autumn, but he’s now buried on the depth chart at Burnley, and even if Sean Dyche rotates his goalie for this one, he’s indicated that Nick Pope will get the call over Hart.
In terms of fitness issues, Phil Bardsley and Matt Lowton are both doubts with knocks, meaning Dyche will be depleted at right back.
Manchester City vs Burnley FA Cup 4th Round FYIs
Kickoff: Saturday, January 26, 3pm local, Etihad Stadium
Manchester City Starting XI Prediction: go to this link
Odds via Odds Checker: Manchester City win 1/11, Draw 15/1, Burnley win 40/1
City to win the whole tournament 5/2
Prediction: Manchester City 3, Burnley 0
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.