The FA cup is one of the running tournaments that are left for the season. Manchester City is one of the few teams that still have the chance of winning the treble. However, for this to happen, they would have to stem the challenges that come with the champions’ league and usurp Liverpool as the leading team in the English league. The easiest way so far is the FA Cup. Their journey continues with a trip to Rodney Parade to face Newport.
Manchester City
Manchester City is a team which cannot stop winning at the moment. They are currently trying to come out on top of all the competitions. They are currently the defending champions in the English league and are 2nd in the league this season. Playing against Manchester City is one of the hardest things a team can face right now. They would surely be confident playing against Newport who is nowhere near their level in terms of quality.
Newport
Newport is a team which is as low as a team can be in the premier league. The gap between Manchester city and Newport in the English league currently stands at 82.Michael Flynn who is currently the manager of Newport has already asserted that winning Manchester city is a herculean task which his team might not meet. He has also described the possibility of his team running out as winners as the greatest shock that would happen this season. Another thing that does not really help Newport’s situation is their form.
Form
Newport has a lukewarm form at the moment. They have managed to win two of their last six games. The other matches have ended in two losses and a draw. They are definitely not in ideal form heading into this game. It surely would take a miracle for them to come out with a win. However, the fact that it is being played in their home would give them a confidence booster heading into this game. However, many pundits predict that this would not be enough.
Manchester City has been in brilliant form in recent time. They have managed to win five of their last six games. Their last three games have seen them face two of their rivals in the league’s big six. These matches have all ended in victory for them. This means that Manchester City will enter this game in blistering form. The possibility of Newport winning this game is thus very slim.
Team news
There would obviously be a lot of rotation by Pep as they would be looking to give some of their first team members a well-deserved break. However, it is expected that Newport would field their best players as they would represent their best chance of progressing to the next round.
This match is definitely a match which Manchester city is expected to excel at. However, it is more likely that there would be a struggle due to the rotation of players. If Newport does win, it would surely be the greatest upset in the league.