Manchester City Prepare for FA Cup Fourth‑Round Clash with Salford City
Manchester, UK — February 14, 2026: Watch: Our last 10 goals in the FA Cup fourth round as Manchester City gear up to host Salford City at the Etihad Stadium in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday afternoon (kick‑off 15:00 GMT). The feature celebrates City’s recent Cup history with a montage of their last ten goals at this stage of the competition, setting the tone ahead of a fixture that once again pits the Premier League giants against their local neighbours from League Two.
Team News & Selection Headaches
City boss Pep Guardiola has spoken openly about his squad’s physical fatigue after a congested schedule, highlighting the importance of progressing in the FA Cup while managing player workload across four competitions. Guardiola remains cautious of Salford despite last season’s emphatic win, stressing focus and respect ahead of the tie. Erling Haaland is a fitness doubt after being substituted at half‑time in midweek, and John Stones is available after a long lay‑off but is not guaranteed to start. A final decision on both will come after training.
In addition to Haaland and Stones, City are without several key players including Jérémy Doku, Savinho, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić, further shaping Guardiola’s rotation options. Sports Mole’s predicted XI suggests a blend of young talent and rotation with James Trafford in goal, Rico Lewis, Abdukodir Khusanov, Max Alleyne and Rayan Aït‑Nouri across the back, and a midfield anchored by Nico González. Ryan McAidoo — 17 and on the cusp of a breakthrough — could start after scoring on his debut earlier this season. Omar Marmoush is projected to lead the line if Haaland is rested.
Salford City: History and Cup Run
Salford City have earned a rare second consecutive visit to the Etihad after an impressive cup run highlighted by a 3‑2 victory over Swindon Town in the third round — the club’s first ever progression to this stage. Defender Luke Garbutt was instrumental in that historic win with a superb free kick that set up the upset.
Remembrance of Last Season’s FA Cup Meeting
The two clubs met in the FA Cup third round last January, when Manchester City routed Salford 8‑0 at home. In that match, James McAtee scored a hat‑trick, Jérémy Doku netted twice, and Nico O’Reilly, Divin Mubama and Jack Grealish also found the net in a dominant team performance that underscored the gulf between the sides and sent City comfortably into the next round.
Fixture Context
The FA Cup fourth round weekend sees several key ties, with City’s match sandwiched among notable fixtures including Wrexham’s 1‑0 win over Ipswich and Chelsea’s 4‑0 success against Hull — highlighting the Cup’s unpredictable nature and potential for giant‑killing results.
Manchester City are overwhelming favourites to advance, but Guardiola’s rotation and injury management — particularly surrounding Haaland — adds intrigue to what could be a chance for youth to shine in one of English football’s most historic competitions.
Here’s the live post‑match summary and reaction from the 2026 FA Cup Fourth Round match between Manchester City and Salford City — including key info, scoreline, standout facts and context from their FA Cup history:
Manchester City vs Salford City — FA Cup Fourth Round (Feb 14, 2026)
Final Result: Manchester City 3 — Salford City 0
The hosts dominated throughout the 2026 FA Cup fourth‑round tie at the Etihad Stadium, securing a smooth progression to the FA Cup Round of 16 with a convincing 3–0 win over League Two visitors Salford City.
Match Highlights:
Manchester City controlled possession and tempo from kickoff, creating the bulk of the chances.
Despite rotation and players being rested, City’s depth showed as they turned pressure into goals.
Salford, set up defensively, were unable to break through and finish opportunities in the final third.
Scoring Summary:
While exact scorer names weren’t listed on the live scoreboard source, City’s three‑goal margin reflected their overall superiority across phases — something widely expected by pundits and models ahead of kick‑off.
Fan Reaction & Live Coverage:
Live updates were carried on major platforms such as ESPN’s live score tracker, with City maintaining consistent pressure throughout.
How This Result Fits Into City’s FA Cup Campaign
City have been extremely prolific in this season’s FA Cup — including a historic 10–1 thumping of Exeter City earlier in the competition — and were heavy favorites throughout this tie, a pattern borne out by the scoreline.
By advancing to the FA Cup fifth round, Pep Guardiola’s squad now looks forward to further cup action alongside their league commitments.
Context From Last Season
This wasn’t the first cup meeting between the two clubs in recent years — in the 2024–25 FA Cup third round, Manchester City overwhelmed Salford 8–0 at the Etihad, with multiple goal scorers including Jeremy Doku and a James McAtee hat‑trick.
That dominant performance helped fuel expectations for another comfortable City win in 2026 — and this year’s 3–0 scoreline confirms City remain well clear of lower‑league opposition at this stage.
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