Swansea v Manchester City FA Cup Quarter Final Preview

This is a busy few days for Manchester City as they move from talk of the Champions League Quarter Finals to the actual Quarter Finals of the FA Cup.

The thing about the FA Cup as a Manchester City fan is that we have underachieved in this the biggest and most important domestic Cup competition. A solitary win some 8 years ago seems scant consolation given our dominance in English football in recent years. Our recent performances against Wigan, both in the loss in a Final in 2013 and our capitulation against them again last year still haunts us and it will only be a another Final win which exorcises those bad spirits.

Having secured a Quarter Final draw against Swansea it seemed like the easiest route for City but of course we are a side more than capable of shooting ourselves in the foot. As the fixtures start to stack up against us and our injuries begin to bite, we will be left in the same predicament as in previous seasons where we may have to sacrifice certain games to keep our best players fresh from fatigue.

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Of course Swansea are going to be playing without any pressure at all. This is their chance to play the best side in Europe so they will relish the moment and fight for every second and every chance to write the headlines. They are on an indifferent run of form – coming off the back of two straight defeats but this is a cup competition and neither form or momentum may count for much.

The clamour in the media encouraging a cup upset will become increasingly louder and more deafening as we approach the kick off time. It will be up to our City squad to withstand that pressure and to turn that into their own positive energy. Maintaining our focus will be key and there will be the lure of a couple of weeks break from the relentless churn of Manchester City as the International break descends.

City will be buzzing from the Schalke victory but the ongoing issues at Centre back may well see another makeshift defence being utilised. Guardiola is unlikely to risk this result by being too cavalier and he will simply pick his best available side all things told.

Bersant Celina at Swansea will add a nice human element to the coming press coverage. At City I thought he would break through but it was not to be. He has undoubted ability and will be keen to show off his skill. I would not rule out a goal contribution from him on the day.

City will play Ederson in goal and Danilo and Zinchenko are both likely to be deployed at full back. Laporte should be back and will partner either a returning Stones or Otamendi. Probably Otamendi given the expected aerial onslaught from Swansea. Gundogan will start in midfield in the defensive midfield role and I believe both Bernardo and David Silva will play just in front of him. Sane should start after his recent performance but I believe he will be joined by both Riyad Mahrez and Gabriel Jesus in the attack. Sterling and Aguero may both find the chance to start on the bench and enjoy some deserved rest.

I would expect Phil Foden and Fabian Delph to both have the opportunity to play in this game – Guardiola may feel both deserve a start so that may be worth keeping an eye on as the final squad is announced.

If we are able to get past Swansea then we will be heading to the FA Cup Semi Finals at Wembley on the weekend of 6 April, meaning our next planned home game against Cardiff would be postponed and we would be facing an increasingly complex fixture pile up. But I would take that possibility every day if it meant the chance of glory on all fronts.