Match preview for Cardiff City vs Manchester City on 28 Jan 18
Cardiff City welcome Pep Guardiola's Manchester City to the Welsh capital on Sunday afternoon (KO: 4pm) in the Fourth Round of the Emirates FA Cup.
What to expect from the Citizens…
Manchester City have lost just one game from the 24 they have played in the Premier League this season. That solitary defeat came in an enthralling recent encounter with Liverpool, with the score at Anfield ending 4-3.
The Blues are still in all the competitions they have entered this season, reaching the final of the Carabao Cup and progressing into the knock-out stages of the UEFA Champions League.
Argentine striker Sergio Agüero tops the goal scoring charts for his club this season, netting on 23 occasions in all competitions. The 29 year-old recently scored his 11th hat-trick in the Sky Blues' colours during their 3-1 win over Newcastle United, taking his tally to 138 goals from 200 appearances.
Kevin De Bruyne has also been a standout performer this season, scoring nine and registering 14 assists. The 26 year-old, who has recently signed a new six-year deal, starred in the Bluebirds' thrilling 3-3 draw with Wolfsburg in pre-season 2014.
In the hot seat…
Guardiola spent the majority of his playing career at Barcelona, where he famously lifted their first European Cup in 1992, and won successive league titles from 1991-1994. He went on to captain the side, and earned 47 caps for Spain, winning an Olympic gold medal in 1992.
After hanging up his boots, he started in the dugout at Barcelona B in 2007, and soon progressed to taking the reins of the first team, winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey in his first season at the helm.
The 47 year-old then went on to lift the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup twice, before moving to Germany with Bayern Munich. He won three consecutive Bundesliga titles in the three years he was in charge, before making the move to Manchester in February 2016.
Previous meetings…
Cardiff City secured their first ever Premier League victory, beating the Citizens 3-2 in our first home match back in the top flight on 25th August, 2013.
On a memorable afternoon in the Welsh capital, Aron Gunnarsson netted our opening Premier League goal, before Fraizer Campbell's brace secured the three points, with Edin Džeko and Álvaro Negredo's goals not enough for the visitors.
The last FA Cup meeting between the two sides also saw a famous Bluebirds triumph. Meeting in the Fourth Round in 1994, Nathan Blake's sublime strike and Mark Grew's penalty save resulted in a famous upset for Eddie May's men at Ninian Park.
Club connections…
Craig Bellamy joined the Bluebirds on loan from Sunday’s opponents back in 2010, appearing on 35 occasions before he eventually re-joined his boyhood club in 2012. He scored 11 goals in that loan spell - including a South Wales Derby winner - firing the Bluebirds to a fourth place finish.
Robbie Fowler has also appeared for both sides, spending a season at Ninian Park in 2007/08 as the Bluebirds reached the FA Cup Final. The prolific striker netted 27 goals in 92 games for the Citizens, and 6 in 16 for the Bluebirds.
Other players to play for both clubs include Roy Clarke, Emyr Huws, Trevor Sinclair and Kasper Schmeichel.
