It’s the Blues hosting the Ammies at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon, with a 15:00 (UK) kick-off for the fourth-round tie.
Stones has struggled with injuries this season and last played in the remarkable 5-4 away win at Fulham in December.
He’s one of nine changes, with Rayan Ait-Nouri and Phil Foden keeping their place in the XI.
Academy starlets Ryan McAidoo and Floyd Samba take their place on the bench while Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva are not fully fit and miss out today.
This is only our second game against Salford, our only other match coming in this competition last season where we triumphed 8-0.
City are vying to see off Karl Robinson’s men again and make it into Monday’s fifth round draw.
TEAMS
CITY XI: Trafford, Khusanov, Stones (C), Alleyne, Ait-Nouri, Nico, Lewis, Reijnders, Foden, Cherki, Marmoush
Subs: Donnarumma, Dias, Guéhi, Rodri, Nunes, O’Reilly, Semenyo, McAidoo, Samba
SALFORD CITY XI: Young, Awe, Dorrington, Garbutt (C), Longelo, Cooper, Austerfield, Grant, N’Mai, Woodburn, Graydon
Subs: Howard, Ashley, Turton, Stockton, Borini, Butcher, Udo, Ehibhatiomhan, Siri
TACTICS
James Trafford is between the sticks and protected by a back four of Abdukodir Khusanov, John Stones, Max Alleyne and Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Nico will be in the anchor role, alongside captain Rico Lewis and Tijjani Reijnders in the midfield area.
Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden will interchange in the spaces behind striking ace Omar Marmoush.
UP FOR THE CUP
Pep Guardiola has explained one of the key reasons why City have been so successful in cup competitions during his decade of dominance in English football.
Guardiola, talking to press in his pre-match media briefing, discussed his approach to taking on Salford City this afternoon.
After an exhausting schedule and punishing Premier League bouts of late, you’d be forgiven for thinking that an FA Cup encounter with a League Two side would be seen as a walk in the park for the brilliant Blues, especially when flashing back to our 8-0 triumph over the same opponents in this competition last time out.
But, truly, nothing could be further from the truth as Guardiola discussed the respect he shows every opponent, a tactic which has earned us 18 major trophies in the past 10 years – one each of the Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup, six Premier Leagues, two FA Cups, four League Cups and three Community Shields.
“Of course it’s League Two. We play at home,” he said.
“But I try to inoculate in the minds of the players that nothing is for granted and everything is difficult.
“Of course it could be easy afterwards. But we have to do our job.
“That’s why in the tight competitions in this decade, in the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, we have always been there and always behaved really, really good.
“Tomorrow cannot be an exception.”
If you want further evidence of what it means to the boss, just watch him marauding around his touchline this afternoon, screaming instructions and kicking every ball!
MATCH STATS
-This is the second ever meeting between City and Salford, with the Blues winning 8-0 in the FA Cup third round last season.
-Salford have lost all three of their competitive meetings with Premier League sides by an aggregate score of 15-0.
-City have won our last 20 matches in the FA Cup against sides from outside the Premier League, scoring 82 goals. At home, we’ve won our last 11 of these matches by an aggregate score of 59-5, beating Exeter City 10-1 in the third round at the Etihad.
-Salford are playing in the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in their brief history. The last time a side from the fourth division or lower eliminated a team in the top three of the top-flight was February 1971, with Colchester United beating league leaders Leeds United in the fifth round.
-City’s Jeremy Doku has been involved in six goals in three FA Cup appearances against sides from outside the Premier League (3 goals, 3 assists), scoring or assisting on average every 22 minutes in these games.
