Man City vs Huddersfield Prediction: Terriers unlikely to trouble champions

Manchester City begin their FA Cup defence against Championship strugglers Huddersfield Town on Sunday. 

Man City lifted the FA Cup last year as part of their sensational treble-winning season and they have been handed what looks a straightforward assignment in this year’s third round. 

Huddersfield are hovering just above the drop zone in the Championship but can head into this tie without feeling any pressure, and that may prove to be a welcome distraction from their league woes. 

Team News  

Erling Haaland hasn’t played for Manchester City since early December, missing their Club World Cup heroics, and although he isn’t too far away from a comeback, he is unlikely to be risked in this FA Cup clash. 

John Stones is missing with an ankle problem and Rodri won’t be involved on compassionate grounds. Illness has also struck the City camp with Bernardo Silva, Scott Carson, Matheus Nunes and Kalvin Phillips - who is being tipped to exit in the winter transfer window - all unlikely to feature. 

Huddersfield have a massive absentee list as Oliver Turton, Patrick Jones, Jonathan Hogg, Kian Harratt, Jaheim Headley, Josh Ruffels, Matty Pearson, Daniel Ward, Chris Maxwell and Delano Burgzorg are all sidelined. The Championship side will also be without Charles Ondo and Yuta Nakayama as they have linked up with their national sides. 

Match Odds 

Manchester City are massive favourites at 1/33 to win, Huddersfield are 40/1 for a mammoth shock while a draw is 14/1. 

City are 19/20 to cover a -3 handicap and 2/1 with a -4 handicap. Over 4.5 goals is 11/10 and both teams to score is 13/8, while both teams not to score is 4/9. 

Highest scoring half - Second half @ 9/10 

There is a big gulf in class between these two sides and the handicap markets are one option for City backers, but the 9/10 on offer for the most goals to be scored in the second half looks a solid option. 

Huddersfield’s game plan will almost certainly be to keep things as tight as possible and try to make the most of any counter-attacks or set-piece opportunities they can create. City will clearly dominate possession, but with a rotated side and with Haaland absent they may struggle to create early openings if the Terriers keep everyone behind the ball. 

The visitors will spend much of the game chasing the ball and will begin to tire as time ticks on, meaning City should enjoy more success going forward in the final third of the game or so.  

Guardiola’s men do tend to do their best work in the second half of games and in six of their last eight across all competitions there have been more goals scored after the restart than there were in the first half. That pattern may well continue against Huddersfield on Sunday. 

Jack Grealish to score at anytime @ 5/4 

It is always tricky to predict what team a Premier League manager will put out in cup competitions, particularly against lower league opponents, but Jack Grealish should probably be expected to start for City this weekend. 

The England international started in the EFL Cup third round and in the dead-rubber Champions League game against Crvena zvezda, and he may be one of the regulars boss Pep Guardiola opts to start with in the FA Cup. 

Grealish isn’t a particularly prolific scorer but has hit a bit of form in front of goal recently and has scored in three of his last five domestic appearances. There will probably be a few scorers for City against Huddersfield, and as an odds-against option Grealish looks a good contender.