Swindon Town vs Manchester City

County Ground is the venue as League Two side Swindon Town play host to Premier League pacesetters Manchester City for their FA Cup third-round tie.

Swindon Town made light work of fellow League Two opposition Northampton last time out, cruising to a 5-2 win on New Year’s Day to boost their confidence ahead of this fixture. After halting a run of three league matches without winning (D1, L2), Ben Garner’s men return to the FA Cup, where they have won both games this season by an aggregate score of 5-1 after breaking the deadlock within 25 minutes of play. However, Swindon’s return of one victory from their last four competitive home outings (D2, L1) douses any embers of optimism regarding a potential upset here. Adding to this sentiment, the hosts have kept just three clean sheets across their last 11 home games in all competitions, conceding 2+ goals in five of the other eight.

In the meantime, Manchester City are widely expected to fulfil their role as overwhelming favourites and ensure progression from an FA Cup tie against sides from the fourth tier or lower for the eighth time in a row, last bowing out to such opposition in 1984. The ‘Cityzens’ have been nothing short of exceptional in domestic affairs since falling to a 2-0 Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace in late October, having won all 11 league matches since, including a come-from-behind 2-1 triumph at Arsenal on New Year’s Day. What’s more, Pep Guardiola’s men have won their last six domestic fixtures on hostile turf by an aggregate score of 14-3, though 50% of those successes yielded a narrow one-goal margin. But the reigning Premier League champions have won ten of their last 11 competitive meetings with Swindon (L1), further underlining their status as a supreme force here.