Date: Wednesday, January 15 Venue: Etihad Stadium Kick-Off: 20:10 Which of Manchester City and Blackburn will reach the fourth round of the FA Cup when the two sides clash in tonight's 3rd round replay?
Team News
Manchester City will recall Sergio Aguero back into the side with their top goalscorer for this season returning from a one month layoff. The Argentina striker has been out since December 14 with a calf injury. Blackburn striker Jordan Rhodes could start on the substitutes' bench. (bbc)
Key Stats
These sides drew 1-1 at Ewood Park on Saturday 4th January. This is the eighth meeting in the FA Cup, with Manchester City winning three times and Blackburn twice. City have won the FA Cup five times. They first lifted the FA Cup exactly 110 years ago, in 1904. It is 130 years since Blackburn Rovers first won the FA Cup, in 1884.
A second half goal from Scott Dann cancelled out Alvaro Negredo's strike the last time these sides met and with nothing to separate them, we have tonight's 3rd round replay. Rovers were worthy of the draw they picked up at Ewood Park on January 4 and may even consider themselves unfortunate not to have won when Dedryck Boyata's red card made for a nervous last nine minutes for City. A replay was probably the last thing Citizens boss Manuel Pellegreini wanted with fixtures starting to pile up but he will be grateful to still be in the draw for the next round. At the Etihad, City have been imperious, undefeated their all season, and Pellegrini will be confident of his side's progression tonight. Yet the plucky spirit of Rovers is not to be diminished and with the magic of the cup keeping this tie alive, anything could still happen.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
