Bristol City v Manchester City predictions: Citizens unlikely to slip up at Ashton Gate

Where to watch

ITV1, 8pm Tuesday

Best bet

Manchester City to win to nil
1pt 6-5 Paddy Power

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Team news

Bristol City
Winger Anis Mehmeti and striker Harry Cornick are cup-tied. Central midfielder Kai Naismith has been joined on the sidelines by centre-back Rob Atkinson.

Man City
Kevin de Bruyne should be well enough to start. John Stones and Aymeric Laporte are doubts.

Match preview

Manchester City have won their last 12 FA Cup ties against teams from lower divisions and habitual fifth-round flops Bristol City are set to become unlucky 13.

Since a shock 1-0 loss at Wigan five years ago, Pep Guardiola's superpowers have had little difficulty against lesser lights, turning potential banana skins into walks in the park.

Those 12 matches have produced an aggregate scoreline of 42-8 in their favour and should persuade punters, if there was any doubt, that the City boss takes these games seriously.

And he'll have to take Bristol City seriously given the fact that the hosts are on a 12-game unbeaten run under Nigel Pearson. But the visiting Citizens still look hard to oppose, albeit they aren't much of a betting proposition at 1-5 to win inside 90 minutes.

They are available at a shade of odds-on to win to nil, however, and that looks a perfectly reasonable bet with Pearson forced into a few changes that won't help the Robins' cause.

Harry Cornick, for example, has been recruited to lead the line but he is cup-tied, as is left-sided midfielder Anis Mehmeti. One or two others are also absent, most notably towering centre-back Rob Atkinson, who would have been a threat at set-plays. The hosts don't boast the biggest back four and it's worth noting that even with Atkinson in their team only two Championship sides have conceded more goals from set-pieces than the Robins.

Erling Haaland isn't guaranteed to start as Guardiola juggles a packed schedule, but he would dearly love to get embroiled in an aerial showdown at Ashton Gate while the threat posed from defenders such as Nathan Ake from corners and free-kicks can't be overstated.

Atkinson's injury has come at a bad time for a Bristol side who are otherwise going well. They have seen off fellow Championship rivals Swansea and West Brom to reach this stage of the competition, a stage where remarkably they have been eliminated on 13 out of 14 occasions.

They have not scored a goal from open play in their last two league games – Nahki Wells has scored from the spot in the 1-1 draw at Sunderland and 1-0 win against Hull and is 9-2 to score at any time – and they know they'll be defending from the off.

Manchester City have shown their hand in this year's competition by fielding strong sides against both Chelsea and Arsenal in rounds three and four and they have won their last ten away games in the FA Cup, a tournament record.

Just one of Bristol City's last 35 FA Cup ties – win, lose or draw – has produced over three goals and they are looking strong enough to ensure Manchester City don't streak clear.

But after Saturday's 4-1 dismantling of Bournemouth, there's a spring in the Premier League champions' step and they can land the odds with something to spare.

Key stat

Man City have not drawn any of their last 26 FA Cup ties.

Probable teams

Bristol City (4-4-1-1): O'Leary; Tanner, Vyner, Kalas, Pring; Sykes, Williams, James, Dasilva; Scott; Wells
Subs: Idehen, Taylor-Clarke, King, Francois, Weimann, Bell 

Man City (3-2-4-1): Ortega; Walker, Akanji, Ake; Lewis, Phillips; Mahrez, Alvarez, Silva, Foden; Haaland.
Subs: Dias, Gomez, Stones, Rodri, Gundogan, Palmer, De Bruyne, Grealish 

Inside info

Bristol City

Penalty taker Nahki Wells
Assist ace Andy Scott
Set-piece aerial threat Zak Vyner
Card magnet Andy Scott

Man City

Penalty taker Erling Haaland
Assist ace Kevin De Bruyne
Set-piece aerial threat Erling Haaland
Card magnet Bernardo Silva

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