FA Cup: Manchester City vs. Salford City | OneFootball

This weekend, Manchester City welcome Salford City in the fourth round of the FA Cup, offering a local derby of vastly different circumstances from the norm.

Salford will make the short journey, less than five miles, with hopes of securing the most famous result in their history. After enduring a distasteful defeat at Old Trafford less than a month ago, Pep Guardiola’s side will be keen not to suffer an even more unpalatable loss against another local side steeped in links to Manchester United.

The Class of 92’s project

Since their foundation in 1940, Salford had been a side condemned to obscurity, subsisting in the English non-league pyramid. However, their fortunes were drastically altered by the takeover by a group of former Manchester United stars – the Class of 92. Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, and Paul Scholes all became part-owners, with bold ideas for the future.

Injected with new cash and new aspirations, these ambitions were further increased with the involvement of Valencia CF’s billionaire owner before the end of 2014. Salford rose through the divisions quickly, in a fashion that has since been replicated by Wrexham under their Hollywood ownership.

Salford made it to the Football League in 2019, but their progress has since been halted. After enjoying four promotions in five years, Salford are now into their seventh consecutive season in League Two. They have made just one playoff appearance during that time, and the takeover group’s initial ambition of reaching the Championship by 2029 seems increasingly unlikely.

The state of the club’s ownership has also changed during the team’s stagnation. Only Gary Neville now remains from the original takeover group, although he is now partnered by footballing icon and Inter Miami owner David Beckham, alongside a number of other businessmen.

Last Season’s Encounter

In a somewhat bizarre outcome, this is the second time that Salford have been drawn against City in little over 12 months. These two teams met for the first time ever in this competition last season. Also at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola’s side inflicted Salford’s heaviest ever defeat – an 8-0 hammering.

“We’re really excited about going back there,” insisted Salford boss Karl Robinson, who hopes his side will be boosted by the experience.

“I think in anything in life, if you can’t embrace an opportunity, even if you know the odds are really stacked against you… Is that not what living’s all about?”

Cup Pedigree

This Fourth Round tie will represent the furthest Salford have ever gone in the FA Cup. Their opponents have reached the final in each of the last three years and have at least reached the semi-final in seven consecutive seasons. Seven-time champions of the FA Cup will face a side already in uncharted territory in the competition.

The stark contrast in stature of the two clubs makes the outcome seem an inevitability, but only serves to make the prospect of a potential upset even more tantalising. The FA Cup is the world’s oldest and greatest football tournament, and its so-called ‘magic’ has been spoken about endlessly.

The last round proved it is still alive and kicking, as holders Crystal Palace were knocked out by non-league Macclesfield. Could we be served another giant-killing and a cup upset for the ages this weekend?