Everything you need to know about Manchester City’s FA Cup third round tie against Birmingham City.
Teams
Gabriel Jesus and Kyle Walker return from their three-game absence due to COVID-19 isolation as Pep Guardiola makes five changes to the team that started in the midweek win over Manchester United.
Benjamin Mendy , Rodrigo and Bernardo also come into the side, replacing John Stones , Oleksandr Zinchenko , Fernandinho , Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling , who is not fully fit.
Ederson is among the substitutes after completing his period of COVID-19 self-isolation and whilst Ferran Torres and Tommy Doyle have done the same, they remain short of full fitness.
Nathan Ake and Aymeric Laporte are out injured and Sergio Aguero is unavailable.
CITY : Steffen, Cancelo, Walker, Dias, Mendy , Rodrigo , De Bruyne (C), Bernardo , Foden , Mahrez , Jesus.
SUBS : Ederson , Stones , Gundogan , Zinchenko, Fernandinho , Delap , Nmecha, Harwood-Bellis, Mbete.
BIRMINGHAM: Prieto, Colin, Clarke-Salter, San Jose, Friend (C), Sunjic, Kieftenbeld, Sanchez, Toral, Leko, Hogan.
SUBS: Etheridge, Perdersen, Dean, Dacres-Gogley, Roberts, Clayton, McGree, Bela, Jutkiewicz.
TACTICAL ANALYSIS
City under Guardiola have rarely deviated from 4-3-3.
But in recent weeks, with so many players unavailable for a variety of reasons, we’ve seen increasing fluidity in our system. Players have interchanged positions more frequently, with the lack of recognised central striker calling for new solutions.
It’s worked superbly. Our form is excellent - we’ve won our last five - but more encouragingly the quality of performances has increased significantly.
Despite the challenges we’ve faced with players being out of action, our victories at Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United were delivered in style.
Guardiola will not want to see our momentum subside.
Jesus’ return means we have a focal point once more, and in defence it looks as though Walker will start at centre-back alongside Dias, with Cancelo and Mendy offering width down the flanks.
WHEN AND WHERE
City will welcome the Championship side to the Etihad on Sunday, 10 January, with the kick-off set for 13:30pm (UK).
In the UK, the game will be shown live on the BBC Sport website, whilst fans living abroad should check out our global TV listings at the foot of this page to find out how they can tune in wherever they are in the world.
If you’re unable to watch the game, you can get minute by minute coverage in our Matchday Centre here on mancity.com and we’ll also have live updates on Twitter: @ManCity.
A full-match replay will be available to watch on CITY+ from midnight after the game.
WE’RE NOT REALLY HERE
Andy Morrison and Richard Dunne are the special guests on our live matchday show for this game.
They’ll be joined in the studio at the Etihad Stadium by presenter Natalie Paweleck and will be providing their expert analysis before kick-off, at half-time and after the full-time whistle.
We’re Not Really Here provides a City-centric view to your match coverage and is available to watch in the Matchday Centre on mancity.com and all our other digital platforms.
PEP PREVIEW
“It will be great to have Sergio back and in good condition.
“He is optimistic - he says he wants to come back and score goals, we don’t put pressure. Most of the games we need him because he is a striker.
“It’s better to have everyone but when we don’t, you have to adapt.
“This situation we had to adapt and adjust, that’s what you have to do.”
FORM GUIDE
City have already secured one trip to Wembley this term, having secured a fourth successive Carabao Cup final appearance following Wednesday’s superb 2-0 semi-final win at Manchester United.
Pep Guardiola ’s side will launch our FA Cup campaign on the back of an impressive 12-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
Aitor Karanka’s Birmingham have endured a frustrating first half to the campaign and currently lie in 18th place in the Championship.
Birmingham have lost five of their last six games, the sole exception being a goalless draw away to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day.
LAST MEETING
The two sides last met in a League Cup tie at the Etihad back in September 2011.
First half goals from Owen Hargreaves and Mario Balotelli helped secure a 2-0 victory for City.
Official Man City Start Page and Wallpapers
Get the Official Manchester City Start page for your Chrome browser. Add the extension to your browser, for the latest news and wallpapers in your desktop tab.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Robert JonesAssistant Referees: Edward Smart & Scott LedgerFourth Official: Martin AtkinsonVAR: Graham ScottAVAR: Matthew Wilkes
TV LISTINGS
The game will be available to watch live on the BBC Sport website , which is streaming eight third round fixtures across the weekend.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE MAN CITY PODCAST
You can also keep up to date with all the action via our Matchday Centre here on mancity.com , or on Twitter: @ManCity .
As always, our We’re Not Really Here show will be providing a City-centric view to your pre-match build-up, half-time analysis and post-match reaction. That’s available to watch on all our digital platforms and the pre-match show begins one hour before kick-off.
A full-match replay will be available to watch on CITY+ within 24-hours of the final whistle.
Fans living abroad can find out which broadcasters are showing the game in their country in the global TV listings below.
Albania
SuperSport 3 Digitalb
Algeria
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Andorra
beIN Sports 1
Angola
SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now
Anguilla
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Antigua and Barbuda
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Argentina
ESPN2 Sur , ESPN Play Sur
Aruba
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Australia
WatchESPN Australia
Austria
DAZN
Bahrain
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Bangladesh
Sony LIV , SONY TEN 2 HD , SONY TEN 2
Barbados
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Belgium
Eleven Sports 1 Belgium
Belize
ESPN Play Norte , ESPN2 Norte , ESPNPlay Caribbean
Benin
SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Bhutan
Sony LIV , SONY TEN 2 HD
Bolivia
ESPN2 Sur , ESPN Play Sur
Botswana
DStv Now , SuperSport Premier League ROA , SuperSport Maximo
Brazil
DAZN
British Virgin Islands
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Brunei
beIN Sports 2 Thailand , Astro Go , beIN Sports Connect
Bulgaria
Diema Sport , Play Diema Xtra
Burkina Faso
SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo
Burundi
Startimes World Football , SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now
Cambodia
beIN Sports Connect , beIN Sports 2 Thailand
Cameroon
DStv Now , StarTimes App , SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Canada
Sportsnet World Now , Sportsnet Now , Sportsnet World
Cape Verde
SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo
Cayman Islands
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Central African Republic
SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Chad
DStv Now , SuperSport Premier League ROA , beIN Sports HD 2 , SuperSport Maximo , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Chile
ESPN Play Sur , ESPN2 Sur
China
PPTV Sport China
Colombia
ESPN2 Colombia , ESPN Play Sur
Comoros
SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Congo
DStv Now , Startimes World Football , SuperSport Premier League ROA , StarTimes App
Congo DR
StarTimes App
Costa Rica
ESPN2 Norte , ESPN Play Norte
Cote D’Ivoire
SuperSport Premier League ROA , SuperSport Maximo , DStv Now
Cuba
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Denmark
Viaplay Denmark , TV3 Sport
Djibouti
SuperSport Maximo , beIN Sports HD 2 , DStv Now , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Dominica
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Dominican Republic
ESPN2 Norte , ESPNPlay Caribbean , ESPN Play Norte
Ecuador
ESPN Play Sur
Egypt
beIN SPORTS CONNECT , beIN Sports HD 2
El Salvador
ESPN Play Norte , ESPN2 Norte
Equatorial Guinea
SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo
Eritrea
SuperSport Maximo , DStv Now , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Ethiopia
SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo
Finland
V Sport Premium , Viaplay Finland
France
beIN SPORTS CONNECT , Free , beIN Sports 1
Gabon
DStv Now , SuperSport Premier League ROA , SuperSport Maximo
Gambia
SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now
Georgia
Adjarasport TV
Germany
DAZN
Ghana
SuperSport Maximo , StarTimes App , SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now , Startimes World Football
Greece
Cosmote Sport 1 HD
Grenada
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Guadeloupe
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Guatemala
ESPN2 Norte , ESPN Play Norte
Guinea
SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo , StarTimes App , Startimes World Football
Guinea-Bissau
DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Haiti
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Honduras
ESPN2 Norte , ESPN Play Norte , ESPNPlay Caribbean
Hong Kong
myTV SUPER
Iceland
Stöð 2 Sport 2
India
SONY TEN 2 , Sony LIV , SONY TEN 2 HD
Indonesia
beIN Sports 1 Indonesia , beIN Sports Connect Indonesia
International
Bet365
Iran
beIN SPORTS CONNECT , beIN Sports HD 2
Iraq
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Ireland
BBC iPlayer , BBC Sport Web
Israel
Sport 4
Italy
DAZN
Jamaica
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Japan
DAZN
Jordan
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Kazakhstan
Setanta Sports Kazakhstan
Kenya
SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now , StarTimes App , Startimes World Football
Korea Republic
SPOTV ON 2
Kuwait
beIN SPORTS CONNECT , beIN Sports HD 2
Laos
beIN Sports Connect , beIN Sports 2 Thailand
Lebanon
beIN SPORTS CONNECT , beIN Sports HD 2
Lesotho
DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo
Liberia
SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo
Libya
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Luxembourg
Eleven Sports 1 Belgium
Macau
TDM Desporto
Madagascar
SuperSport Premier League ROA , StarTimes App , SuperSport Maximo , DStv Now
Malawi
StarTimes App , SuperSport Maximo , DStv Now , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Malaysia
Astro SuperSport 3 , Astro Go
Maldives
SONY TEN 2 , Sony LIV , SONY TEN 2 HD
Mali
SuperSport Premier League ROA , SuperSport Maximo , DStv Now
Malta
GO TV Anywhere , TSN2 Malta
Martinique
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Mauritania
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT , DStv Now
Mauritius
SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now
Mexico
ESPN Play Norte , ESPN2 Norte
Monaco
beIN Sports 1
Montserrat
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Morocco
beIN SPORTS CONNECT , beIN Sports HD 2
Mozambique
StarTimes App , SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now , Startimes World Football
Namibia
SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo
Nepal
SONY TEN 2 HD , SONY TEN 2 , Sony LIV
Netherlands
Ziggo Sport 14 , Ziggo Sport Select
New Zealand
beIN Sports Connect New Zealand
Nicaragua
ESPN2 Norte , ESPN Play Norte
Niger
DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Nigeria
SuperSport Premier League Nigeria , StarTimes App , SuperSport Maximo , DStv Now , Startimes World Football
Norway
V Sport 1 , Viaplay Norway
Oman
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Pakistan
SONY TEN 2 , SONY TEN 2 HD , Sony LIV
Palestinian Territory
beIN SPORTS CONNECT , beIN Sports HD 2
Panama
ESPN2 Norte , ESPN Play Norte
Paraguay
ESPN Play Sur , ESPN2 Sur
Peru
ESPN2 Sur , ESPN Play Sur
Philippines
beIN Sports 1 HD , beIN Sports Connect Philippines
Poland
Eleven Sports 2 Poland
Portugal
Sport TV LIVE , Sport TV2
Puerto Rico
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Qatar
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Romania
Eurosport Player Romania
Russia
Sportbox.ru , matchtv.ru , Match! Arena
Rwanda
Startimes World Football , SuperSport Maximo , StarTimes App , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Saint Bartelemey
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Saint Kitts and Nevis
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Saint Lucia
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Saint Martin
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Sao Tome And Principe
SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Senegal
DStv Now , SuperSport Premier League ROA , SuperSport Maximo
Seychelles
SuperSport Maximo , DStv Now , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Sierra Leone
DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Singapore
111 mio Sports 1
Somalia
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
South Africa
StarTimes App , SuperSport Maximo , Startimes World Football , DStv App , SuperSport Variety 2
South Sudan
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT , DStv Now , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Spain
DAZN
Sri Lanka
SONY TEN 2 , Sony LIV , SONY TEN 2 HD
Sudan
beIN Sports HD 2 , SuperSport Maximo , DStv Now , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Swaziland
SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo
Sweden
V Sport Premium , Viaplay Sweden
Switzerland
DAZN
Syria
beIN SPORTS CONNECT , beIN Sports HD 2
Tanzania
StarTimes App , SuperSport Premier League ROA , Startimes World Football , SuperSport Maximo , DStv Now
Thailand
beIN Sports Connect , beIN Sports 2 Thailand
Togo
SuperSport Maximo , SuperSport Premier League ROA , DStv Now
Trinidad and Tobago
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Tunisia
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
Turkey
Tivibu Spor 4
U.S. Virgin Islands
ESPNPlay Caribbean
Uganda
Startimes World Football , DStv Now , SuperSport Maximo , StarTimes App , SuperSport Premier League ROA
Ukraine
Setanta Sports Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
beIN Sports HD 2 , beIN SPORTS CONNECT
United Kingdom
BBC iPlayer , BBC Sport Web
United States
ESPN+
Uruguay
ESPN2 Sur , ESPN Play Sur
Venezuela
ESPN Play Sur
Vietnam
SCTV 17
Yemen
beIN SPORTS CONNECT , beIN Sports HD 2
Zambia
SuperSport Premier League ROA , SuperSport Maximo , StarTimes App
Zimbabwe
SuperSport Premier League ROA , SuperSport Maximo , DStv Now
*Don’t see your country or favourite channel listed? Let us know and we will include it.
CITYZENS: SCORE PREDICTOR - Score Predictor_City v Birmingham FA Cup 20/21