As should be the case with any good FA Cup tie, the dynamics behind the opposing sides are very different; for Manchester City, this is another game they must win to maintain their fight on three trophy fronts; for Bristol City, it’s an occasion to savour and experience and help further shape their young squad.
How those respective feelings translate into performances will be revealed at 8pm as the Robins play host to Pep Guardiola’s all-star cast for the first time since 2018 and it’s also the first time the Catalan has come up against Nigel Pearson.
With Bristol City in excellent form and Manchester City, well, Manchester City in terms of their quality, the expectation is for an interesting contest in which the Championship club are undoubted underdogs but also retain enough of a sliver of optimism to be confident in achieving the improbable.
Here’s all you need to know ahead of the fifth round match-up in BS3…
Kick-off time and how to watch
The game kicks off at 8pm and is a sell-out so if you don’t have a match ticket, don’t turn up to Ashton Gate expecting to be able to buy one. For those who do have a ticket, turnstiles will be open from 6:15pm with the club advising supporters to leave earlier than normal for an evening game.
The tie is being shown on ITV with their coverage getting underway from 7:30pm, with the match also available to stream on ITVX. Laura Woods is joined in the studio by Ian Wright and Roy Keane while commentary is provided by Sam Matterface with Ally McCoist.
BBC Radio Bristol are broadcasting from Ashton Gate with their programme beginning at 7pm, although there will be some features in their local sports show from 6pm. TalkSPORT are also providing live commentary.
Bristol Live will also, of course, be providing all the pre-match build-up, team news, action and reaction from BS3 via our live match blog and social channels.
Team news
Bristol City are without striker Tommy Conway (hamstring), centre-back Rob Atkinson (ACL), defender/midfielder Kal Naismith (calf), while forwards Anis Mehmeti and Harry Cornick, who joined the club on deadline day, are both cup tied.
Pearson may have to select a number of academy players on the bench as he’s permitted to name up to nine substitutes with Omar Taylor-Clarke, Marlee Francois - who have both already played in the competition - Elijah Morrison and Olly Thomas the likely candidates.
Manchester City are set to be without centre-backs Aymeric Laporte (illness) and John Stones (hamstring), while there are doubts over playmaker Kevin De Bruyne who has missed their last two games due to illness. The Belgian has trained but may not be risked at Ashton Gate.
With this the fifth straight away game in a row for his side and a Premier League encounter against Newcastle United on Saturday, Guardiola is likely to make changes from the starting XI that beat Bournemouth last weekend.
Likely line-ups
Bristol City (4-3-3): Max O’Leary; George Tanner, Zak Vyner, Tomas Kalas, Cam Pring; Matty James (capt), Joe Williams, Alex Scott; Mark Sykes, Nahki Wells, Sam Bell
Manchester City (4-3-3): Stefan Ortega; Rico Lewis, Kyle Walker, Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake; Ilkay Gundogan (capt), Kalvin Phillips, Bernardo Silva; Cole Palmer, Julian Alvarez, Phil Foden
Who’s the referee?
Andre Marriner has the whistle for tonight's cup tie in what will be his 16th match of the season operating primarily at Premier League level. The Solihull-based official has issued 50 yellow cards and one red so far in 2022/23 and this will be his second City game of the campaign as he was in charge of the 1-1 draw against Swansea City at Ashton Gate on October 29.
Head-to-head record
These sides have met 25 times before and Bristol City actually hold the advantage with 10 wins to Man City’s six with six draws. Admittedly, the last of those victories was in 1979 when David Rodgers scored the only goal of the game in front of 18,296 fans at Ashton Gate in the old first division.
There have been two recent meetings, of course, with Manchester City beating the Robins 3-2 and 2-1 in the two-legged semi-final of the 2017/18 Carabao Cup. Of the starting line-ups from the Ashton Gate fixture, no City players remain while Stones, De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Kyle Walker remain regulars under Guardiola.
Form guide
Bristol City are unbeaten in their last 12 games in league and cup, dating back two months with their last loss being a 2-0 reverse at the hands of West Brom on Boxing Day.
Manchester City have lost just one of their last nine - a 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur - and have won six games in that span of results.
Bristol City at home: WDWWD
Man City away: WDDWL
What the managers are saying
Nigel Pearson, Bristol City: “We have earned the right to play against one of the best sides in the world at home but nobody has any misconceptions of the enormity of the task – we have to be absolutely at our best and them not.
“I want our players to go into the game with a freedom to be themselves, be tenacious and make it difficult for Man City. I want them to enjoy the experience but they will only enjoy it by playing well and getting a really positive result.”
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City: “After the last game I said the mood is exceptional and the guys are doing everything that is enough for me. We are playing in three competitions tomorrow and the Champions League is another chance.
“Last 12 games no defeat - that gives me a lot of info. 12 games no defeat tells me they are there. My scout says they are a good team. The manager has a lot of experience, did really well at Leicester and Watford. It is a final, the FA Cup is an important competition, really, really important so a serious team will play.”
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