The fourth round of the 2025/26 FA Cup will continue on Saturday, with eight matches scheduled for the day. The action will start with the game between Burton Albion and West Ham United before continuing with five matches, including Manchester City vs Salford City at the Etihad.
Manchester City reached the FA Cup fourth round by cruising to a 10-1 win over Exeter City in the previous stage. That was the first victory of the year for Pep Guardiola’s men, who have kick-started a run of seven wins in ten games, losing only twice during this period. The latest victory has helped them reduce the gap to Arsenal to four points in the Premier League.
On the other hand, Salford City entered the 2025/26 FA Cup in the first round and beat Lincoln City in the penalty shootout before getting past Leyton Orient and Swindon Town in the next two stages. However, the away side’s recent form has been sketchy, as they have won only two of their four subsequent clashes.
Manchester City and Salford City also clashed in the FA Cup last season, with Pep Guardiola’s men cruising to an 8-0 win. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Probable Lineup (4-1-4-1): Trafford; Lewis, Khusanov, Alleyne, Ake; Gonzalez; McAidoo, Reijnders, Foden, Cherki; Marmoush
Probable Lineup (3-1-4-2): Young; Turton, Dorrington, Garbutt; Butcher; Longelo, Grant, Woodburn, N’Mai; Graydon, Udoh
While Rayan Cherki, Ryan Graydon, and Daniel Udoh were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Omar Marmoush as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s FA Cup clash between Manchester City and Salford City at the Etihad.
With Erling Haaland being the undisputed first-choice striker for Manchester City, regular game time has eluded Marmoush. That led to speculation surrounding the Egyptian attacker’s long-term future before Manchester City pulled the plug on a winter exit. So, Saturday’s clash will provide an opportunity to Marmoush as he looks to resurrect his fortunes in the second half of the 2025/26 season.
Saturday’s match will be a one-way street, even though Pep Guardiola will rotate his troops and name a much-changed starting eleven. Additionally, with Salford City yet to score a single goal in competitive games against Premier League opponents, it is difficult to see anything other than a clean sheet for the home side.
Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki will look to make a statement in Saturday’s FA Cup clash, with the duo likely to find the back of the net this weekend. The Hard Tackle predicts a straightforward 5-0 win for Pep Guardiola and his charges, with the hosts having multiple scorers.
