Guardiola relishes ‘hometown’ FA Cup tie with class of 92’s Salford

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said Manchester United’s famous “class of 92” group of former players will make “smart” decisions to help Salford City climb further up English Football League.

City host the League Two side in one of Salford’s biggest ever games in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

Owned by a group of former United stars including David Beckham, Gary and Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt, Salford have risen through the non-League ranks since their investment began in 2014.

“They won a lot of titles, these generational players. They won a lot of money so they can buy clubs. It’s good,” said Guardiola at his pre-match press conference on Friday.

“There’s Gary Neville, David Beckham, I don’t know all the players involved but they are smart people and when people from football run football clubs they always take smart decisions.

“They are in League Two and I’m pretty sure they want to rise like (League One) Stockport. The higher you are, the better your perspective.”

As well as the spice of Salford’s United connections, there is also a local dimension to the fixture for Guardiola.

“I’ve lived in Salford for the last eight years so I will play against my neighbourhood,” added Guardiola. “My home town where I am living!”

After an amazing slump that saw Guardiola’s men win just once in 13 games, they have began to turn a corner with victories in their last two outings against Leicester and West Ham in the Premier League.

A lengthy injury list has been at the heart of City’s struggles and Guardiola is beginning to get some key personnel back.

Goalkeeper Ederson and Oscar Bobb, who broke his leg in pre-season, are back in training, but defenders John Stones, Ruben Dias and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri remain out.

Slot wary of Stanley: Liverpool manager Arne Slot said Accrington Stanley’s trip to Anfield in the FA Cup third round on Saturday will be the League Two side’s “Champions League final”.

The clubs are 86 league positions apart in the 92-team pyramid with Slot’s men leading the Premier League, while Stanley sit just outside the relegation zone in the fourth tier.

“I think every team that plays against us it is a special occasion, but especially for a lower league team. They will be all up for it, they have looked forward to this game for many weeks,” said Slot at his pre-match press conference on Friday.

“If you go to a Champions League final everyone is completely hyped up and ready and, tomorrow, for them that will feel like it is the Champions League final, so we have to be aware of that.”

Despite that warning, the Dutchman is likely to take the opportunity to rotate his side during a hectic spell of fixtures in four competitions.

That could open the door for Federico Chiesa to make just his second start for the Reds since joining from Juventus in August.

The Italian international forward’s career has been injury-ravaged and the 27-year-old has struggled for fitness in the early months of his time in England.

But Slot said his fleeting appearances so far also have much to do with the form of Mohamed Salah and the rest of his forward line.

“It’s not only been difficult for him in terms of match fitness, it’s also that he has to compete with the likes of Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez and Mo Salah,” added Slot. Meanwhile, Everton avoided FA Cup embarrassment with a 2-0 victory against third tier Peterborough just hours after Sean Dyche was sacked by the struggling Premier League club on Thursday.

Dyche was axed less than four hours before the third round tie, with the club’s new owners, the Friedkin Group, reportedly in talks with former Everton boss David Moyes about a return to Goodison Park.

Moyes is the bookmakers’ favourite for the job of saving Everton from relegation, 12 years after he left for Manchester United.

The Scot, who managed Everton in a successful spell between 2002 and 2013, has been out of work since leaving West Ham at the end of last season.

Agence France-Presse