Manchester City will face championship side Watford at the Etihad Stadium as they hope to keep their hopes of a historic quadruple alive.
City face Watford in the fourth-round of the FA Cup after meeting the Hornets in the third-round of last year’s competition.
Ahead of this fixture MM looks back at some of the greatest fourth-round FA Cup ties in the club’s history.
2010/2011
Notts County 1 – Manchester City 1
The 2010/2011 season ended with an FA Cup triumph but could have been so different had they not been rescued by Edin Dzeko at Meadow Lane.
In a game that featured England’s oldest club,
The Bosnian striker marked his debut in the competition with his first goal for the club ten minutes before time saving the Blues the embarrassment of being knocked about by a team two divisions below them.
In the replay at the Etihad stadium City ran out comfortable 5-0 winners and went on to capture their first piece of major silverware in 35 years.
1970/71
Chelsea 0 – Manchester City 3
In a game featuring the winners of the two previous FA Cups, Manchester City travelled to Stamford Bridge to face the holders Chelsea.
Colin Bell, who is widely regarded as the club’s greatest player, scored a double and played a part in Ian Bowyer’s third as City cruised to a 3-0 win.
The two clubs would meet again later in the season in the European Cup Winners Cup competition but on this occasion Chelsea would come out on top.
2007/2008
Sheffield United 2 – Manchester City 1
In a game that has been remembered by City fans for all the wrong reasons.
City fans travelled in their thousands with hundreds of balloons to support their side in their battle against Sheffield United, but it was those balloons that would heavily contribute to their downfall.
In the first half Luton Shelton took advantage of Michael Ball’s confusion, when a cross was deflected off the travelling fans balloons in the box, to fire the Blades into the lead.
Jon Stead doubled their advantage before City scored a consolation through Daniel Sturridge, his first senior goal for the club.
2001/2002
Ipswich Town 1 – Manchester City 4
Manuel Pellegrini may have the Blues faithful purring at the quality of play on display at the Etihad, but Kevin Keegan’s team that won promotion back to the Premiership in 2001/2002 were as entertaining.
With Keegan’s men pushing for promotion back to the top flight, the trip to face Ipswich appeared a perfect opportunity to test their quality against players of Premiership quality.
In a match televised for the whole country, City put on a show and humbled their opponents in front of their own supporters.
The mercurial Eyal Berkovic thundered the Blues ahead before half-time before Shaun Goater extended the lead after the break.
Marcus Bent pulled a goal back for the Tractor Men, but another goal for Goater and another through Darren Huckerby completed the rout.
2003/2004
Tottenham 3 – Manchester City 4
With one win in their previous 18 games, City travelled to White Hart Lane to face Tottenham in a fourth-round replay after the teams could not be separated in 90 minutes at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Tottenham took a 3-0 lead into half-time and to make matters worse Nicolas Anelka, City’s star striker, had to be replaced in the first half after suffering an injury.
Mission improbable appeared to become mission impossible when Joey Barton was sent off after the half-time whistle.
However City decided they had other plans and embarked on one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the competition.
Goals from captain, Sylvain Distin and Paul Bosvelt brought the game back to 3-2 before Shaun Wright-Phillips equalised to stun the White Hart Lane crowd.
But there was still time for Jon Macken, lifelong City fan, to loop a header beyond Kasey Keller in stoppage time, which sparked delirium among the travelling City faithful.
Image courtesy of Manchester City FC via YouTube, with thanks.
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