FA Cup holders Manchester City commence the defence of their title on Sunday afternoon, when Championship strugglers Huddersfield Town travel to the Etihad for a third-round tie.
Pep Guardiola's men begin their latest quest for domestic glory on the back of a four-game winning streak, while the Terriers have lost their last two matches in the second tier.
Match preview
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The sunshine beamed down on the Wembley soil as Manchester City ended a four-year drought without FA Cup glory on June 3, where two strikes from Barcelona-bound Ilkay Gundogan saw the Citizens complete the second part of their terrific 2022-23 treble.
Since downing bitter adversaries Manchester United to clinch FA Cup title number seven, the Citizens have added European and international accolades to their trophy case in the shape of the Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup, and their hitherto faltering Premier League title charge is now firmly back on track too.
On the back of conquering the world in Saudi Arabia, Guardiola's charges have taken six points from a possible six in fixtures with Everton and Sheffield United, easing to a 2-0 victory over the basement-dwelling Blades last weekend thanks to Rodri and Julian Alvarez's efforts.
The reigning Premier League champions still have a five-point gap to make up to leaders Liverpool, although the Reds have played a game more than their northern neighbours, who welcome Huddersfield to town having netted at least twice in each of their last seven games in all tournaments.
Furthermore, each of Man City's last 11 FA Cup home matches has ended in victory since they were stunned 2-0 by Middlesbrough in the fourth round of the 2014-15 edition, and Citizens fans have to go back to 2011-12 for the last time that their side were dumped out in the third round, although they were the defending champions that year too.
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The more superstitious Huddersfield supporters may therefore possess a shred of optimism when that fact is taken into account, but the vast majority of the Terriers faithful will certainly be making the short trip across the North West in unfounded hope rather than expectation.
The New Year has not breathed a new sense of life into Darren Moore's charges, who won just one of their seven fixtures in December and kicked off January with the most difficult Championship fixture possible on Monday, a trip to title favourites Leicester City.
A scrappy goal from captain Michal Helik was in vain at the King Power Stadium as Leicester roared to a 4-1 win on New Year's Day, thus inching ever closer to a return to the Premier League while plunging erstwhile top-flight club Huddersfield ever closer to the trapdoor; Moore's men are in 21st place with just a three-point buffer to Sheffield Wednesday.
It has been 102 years since Huddersfield won their first and only FA Cup honour to date, but the Terriers have failed to make similar waves in the competition in recent times, suffering third-round exits in four of the last five editions, and not since the 1960-61 season have they eliminated the holders from the tournament, sending Wolverhampton Wanderers packing that year.
Huddersfield avoided defeat at Man City's Etihad fortress as recently as May 2018 - holding Guardiola's men to a goalless draw on that occasion - but their two meetings in the 2018-19 Premier League season ended with the hosts doing the double over the Terriers by an aggregate score of 9-1.
Team News
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Unlike many of their Premier League counterparts, Man City have not been impacted by the impending Africa Cup of Nations and Asian Cup tournaments, and Jeremy Doku is also in contention to make his return from a muscular problem.
However, Guardiola has been more pessimistic about the fitness of Erling Haaland (foot), while John Stones is still out with an ankle problem, and Rodri will not be available due to the death of his grandmother.
A virus has also been sweeping through the Etihad ranks in recent weeks, affecting all of Scott Carson, Matheus Nunes, Kalvin Phillips and Bernardo Silva, who are serious doubts for the third-round tie.
In contrast, Huddersfield must make do without two international representatives for a number of weeks, as Charles Ondo was summoned to represent Equatorial Guinea at the AFCON, while Japan called up defender Yuta Nakayama for the Asian Cup.
The Terriers are already in the midst of an injury crisis, which worsened when left-back Jaheim Headley suffered an ankle injury in a challenge from Leicester's Cesare Casadei on Monday evening, forcing him to call it a night in the first half.
Oliver Turton (ACL), Patrick Jones (hamstring), Jonathan Hogg (discomfort), Kian Harratt (hamstring), Josh Ruffels (groin), Matty Pearson (knock), Daniel Ward (leg), Chris Maxwell (knock) and Delano Burgzorg (ankle) are also taking up beds in the overflowing Terriers treatment room.
The visitors have captured two new players already this month, adding Chelsea-owned Alex Matos and Serbian striker Bojan Radulovic to their ranks, but the latter is still awaiting international clearance.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Gomez; Lewis, Kovacic; Bobb, Foden, Hamilton; Alvarez
Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:
Nicholls; Lees, Ayina, Helik; Kasumu, Rudoni, Wiles, Diarra, Edmonds-Green; Thomas, Koroma
We say: Manchester City 5-0 Huddersfield Town
Even with Haaland sidelined and Guardiola sure to make changes in abundance, keeping the scoreline down will be Huddersfield's overriding goal at the Etihad, where no surprises should be sprung on Sunday.
With the Terriers struggling to perform and also heading to the European champions' turf with a lengthy absentee list, Man City's winning streak ought to continue as they breeze into the fourth round.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Ben Knapton
