Salford City will travel to Manchester City in the FA Cup for the second successive season if they overcome League Two promotion rivals Swindon Town in the third round.
Salford’s game against Swindon had been scheduled to take place on Saturday but was called off because of a frozen Peninsula Stadium pitch.
The delay and the draw for round four will give the postponed clash an added edge when the sides meet on Tuesday, 20 January.
While Ammies fans would have undoubtedly been glued to their screens, hoping for a draw against a Premier League powerhouse, the prospect of another matchup with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City may feel twisted for Salford boss Karl Robinson.
Ahead of Salford City’s 4-0 rout of Leyton Orient in the second round, he gave a frank response when asked who he would like to face in the third round of the FA Cup should they progress, prompting laughter from around the room: “Anyone but Manchester City.”
Last year, Manchester City beat Salford 8-0 at the Etihad Stadium on an occasion when the then Premier League Champions were typically unrelenting.
In this season’s third round, Guardiola’s men ran riot in a 10-1 win against League One Exeter City.
Robinson’s wish had been granted when his side was drawn against Swindon Town, a team they beat 3-2 in September courtesy of a late winner from Kallum Cesay.
Salford will look to repeat the feat and set up another tie with Guardiola’s men, while Robinson will hope to exorcise the ghosts of the demolition 12 months ago at the Etihad Stadium again.
If Salford can overcome Swindon Town in the FA Cup third round, they will travel to Manchester City on the weekend of 14 February.
