Huddersfield Town vs Manchester City

Welcome to the official 2017 FA Cup 5th Round match thread for Huddersfield Town versus Manchester City on Saturday 18th February, k/o 15:00pm.


FA Cup fever hits Huddersfield this weekend as Pep Guardiola brings his extremely gifted Manchester City team to the John Smiths Stadium for this eagerly awaited last 16 clash. The final few tickets were snapped up on Wednesday, ensuring the game will be played in front of a 24,000 sell out crowd.

Despite excellent sales, it's fair to say the line ups will likely reflect the fact that both sides' real interest lies elsewhere; Town host Reading on Tuesday night, whilst in form Monaco will provide a stern Champions League test for City's stars at the Etihad in midweek.

Jonathan Hogg will be one definite absentee from the match through injury, as will talisman Aaron Mooy, who has been refused permission to play by his parent club. Whilst he may have been rested anyway, this would have been a great chance for City fans to see for themselves the player we've been raving about all season, and a player many Town fans (myself included) will say is the best they have EVER seen play for the club.

Ludicrously, English TV has chosen to overlook this fixture (the other Manchester club will be televised for the 57th consecutive cup game, stretching back to 2005...got to pay for Pogbas hair dye somehow) but for the tech savvy spectator, the game is being aired on Fox Sports 1 if you feel like streaming the match.

I'd like to wish all travelling Citizens a safe journey over the Pennines. It's been a while since we saw you last (17 years to the day in fact), but you'll contribute to a fine atmosphere I'm sure.


Match Facts

Head-to-head

* The clubs last met 17 years ago to the day in a 1-1 draw in the second tier of English football.
* Their most recent meeting in the FA Cup was in the third round in 1988 when it took two replays for City to progress.
* City also won the only other previous FA Cup meeting - in the fourth round back in 1925-26.

Huddersfield

* Huddersfield have won their last six matches in all competitions and they are unbeaten in seven home games (W6, D1).
* Like Manchester City, Huddersfield have scored eight goals without conceding any so far in this season's FA Cup.
* The Terriers haven't reached the sixth round of the FA Cup since 1971-72.
* Huddersfield won the FA Cup in 1922.

Manchester City

* City have won their last four matches in all competitions, scoring 11 goals and conceding just one.
* They have also won their last three away matches in all competitions.
* City have kept clean sheets in four of their last five away matches - but they were thumped 4-0 at Everton in the other.
* Despite being drawn away at Premier League teams (West Ham and Crystal Palace) in the two previous rounds, City have scored eight goals and conceded none in this season's FA Cup.
* It's the sixth time in a row that City have been handed an away tie in the FA Cup. Their last five ties have all been against Premier League opposition.


Last Home Meeting

Football League Division 1
Friday 18th February 2000

Huddersfield Town 1 (Wijnhard 32)
Manchester City 1 (Goater 45)



Current Form (All competitions past 6 matches)

Town: W6 D0 L0
City: W4 D1 L1


Possible Home Line Up

Coleman

Cranie
Stankovic
Hudson
Lowe

Billing
Whitehead

Van la Parra
Payne
Bunn

Quaner


Prediction

Defeat. Possibly a heavy one too. But I don't really care. It's good experience for some of the younger lads and we're going to pull in some good gate receipts...nothing changes the fact that (perversely) Reading is a far bigger game for us, certainly in its potential implications in our charge for the automatic spots. Get it right and we'll get our chance for revenge on City next season anyway....

In Wagner we trust.

UTT