Six-times FA Cup winners and Premier League holders City take on the League Two Robins in an intriguing tie in the third round of the world’s oldest cup competition
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The third round of the FA Cup remains one of the highlights of the football calendar.
And this weekend sees 64 teams in action, with a number of fascinating ties thrown up with four non-league sides still in the world’s oldest cup competition.
The first of those 32 ties is arguably one of the most intriguing. It pits Premier League holders and current runaway leaders Manchester City against League Two side Swindon Town.
The clash will be the first time the two teams have met in 20 years.
Here is all you need to know ahead of the game.
When and where is it?
The game is on Friday, January 6 and takes place at the County Ground in Swindon.
Kick-off is 8pm.
Competition rules
The FA have made the decision to scrap replays in the third and fourth round of this season’s FA Cup.
The decision was made to try and alleviate fixture congestion, following a spate of postponements caused by the ongoing pandemic.
As a result, matches that end level after 90 minutes will go to extra-time. If the scores remain level, penalties will then occur.
Match odds
Unsurprisingly, Pep Guardiola’s side are odds-on favourites to get the job done.
City are a whopping 1/25 with thepools.com to win in 90 minutes, with the hosts 28/1 to spring a huge shock.
You can get odds of 14/1 for the game to end level.
What channel is it on?
The match is being screened live on ITV. Coverage begins at 7.30pm.
Team news
City are likely to make wholesale changes from the side that won 2-1 against Arsenal in the Premier League on New Year’s Day.
A clutch of youngsters are set to be drafted in, with £9million forward Kayky one of those who could benefit from Guardiola’s shuffling.
Kayky has featured for the club’s under-23s in Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy and has been on the bench for City in two of their last three Premier League clashes.
Other youngsters such as Cole Palmer and James McAtee will also be hoping for starting berths while Zack Steffen is likely to deputise for Ederson in goal.
As for Swindon, they will be hoping to pick up where they left off in their last outing.
They thumped Northampton 5-2, with Harry McKirdy scoring four of the goals. He will be hoping to impress against the top flight leaders but Swindon boss Ben Garner does have a couple of selection worries.
Jack Payne is definitely out after suffering a knee injury against the Cobblers, whilst Wales international Jonny Williams is a doubt.
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