Pep Guardiola will likely turn to the youngsters to provide a pick-me-up as Manchester City host Championship side Huddersfield Town in the third round of the FA Cup.
After a dry spell through early December, Man City have turned their league form around with three wins in their last four, but the early exit from the EFL Cup still stings, having been dumped out of the other knockout competition at the hands of Newcastle in late September.
With City not afforded the same lengthy winter break as other English clubs, set to play Newcastle in the Premier League on January 13, Guardiola will likely be tempted to rotate his squad to prioritise a climb back up the top of the league table.
That will give Huddersfield a boost in their bid for a dream upset, knowing the shot at a confidence boost would be valuable in their bid to avoid relegation from the second tier. The Terriers are 21st in the Championship table, just three points above Sheffield Wednesday for the final position of safety.
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Man City vs Huddersfield Town prediction, odds
- Moneyline lean: Man City (-8000)
- Score prediction: Man City 3-0 Huddersfield Town
Pep Guardiola may be preparing to rotate his squad, but in truth it likely won't matter. We've seen the Man City depth on full display plenty of times before, and it doesn't end well for lower league opposition. Last season they brushed Bristol City aside with a few second-choice players in the lineup, and then pummeled Burnley 6-0 the next round.
This year Man City don't present such an imposing threat given their recent dip in form, but it's still a monumental task for a lower league club with one eye on the all-important relegation battle in league play. There's no value in the moneyline on either side.
| DraftKings (USA) | |
| Man City win (90 mins) | -8000 |
| Draw (90 mins) | +1700 |
| Huddersfield win (90 mins) | +2800 |
| Both teams to score Y/N | +135 / -190 |
| Over / Under 4.5 goals | +115 / -165 |
| Man City to advance | -8000 (FanDuel) |
| Huddersfield to advance | +1800 (FanDuel) |
Man City vs Huddersfield Town match facts
- Date: Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024
- Kickoff Time: 2 p.m. local (9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT)
- Location: Etihad Stadium (Manchester, England)
- Referee: Michael Salisbury, VAR: Peter Bankes
- Last meeting: Huddersfield Town 0-3 Man City (Jan. 20, 2019 | Premier League)
Man City vs Huddersfield Town best bet
- Pick: Jack Grealish anytime assist
- Odds: +100 (DraftKings)
With Kevin de Bruyne set to return to the field following his long-term injury, it could mean a dip in minutes for Phil Foden or Jack Grealish, who have held down the ship nicely in the attacking third to mitigate the Belgian's absence. That could convince Pep Guardiola to include one or both in the lineup for this match despite his temptation to call in a few second-teamers.
Grealish is one who is due an assist, having worked incredibly hard in the attacking third for little return. He's managed three goals of his own since the start of December, but he somehow has just two assists all year long despite his status as one of Man City's most creative players.
The 28-year-old has a frustrating 13 key passes since his last assist, worth 1.59 xA, which for a good attacking side like Man City is a hefty total without profit. He's the only Man City player with a negative xA/assist differential of over 1.0 in Premier League action, and deserves a return to the mean at some point. A game with lots of attacking chances expected to flow could be that moment.
Man City vs Huddersfield Town prop bet
- Pick: Phil Foden anytime goal scorer
- Odds: +105 (DraftKings)
Foden isn't finishing as well as he has in previous seasons with Man City, but he's still putting chances in the net at an average rate, and has good volume in such a powerful attacking side. If he makes the field for this match, he should have ample opportunities to punish the Championship opponents who will defend with all eleven players.
As always, but especially in this match, be sure to wait for lineups before confirming picks knowing Pep Guardiola has so many players at his disposal to rotate into the action.
Man City vs Huddersfield Town live stream, TV channel
| Region | TV channel | Streaming |
| USA | — | ESPN+ |
| Canada | Sportsnet | Sportsnet Now |
| UK | — | BBC iPlayer |
The broadcast rights for the 2023/24 FA Cup in the United States are owned by ESPN, with every game across the competition shown on ESPN+.
In the UK, the broadcast rights to this FA Cup match are owned by BBC, who will put the game on their iPlayer streaming service. Sportsnet has the broadcast rights to the competition in Canada.
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