Taylor explains FA Cup significance ahead of Sheffield United clash | OneFootball

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Manchester City F.C.

·27 January 2023

Taylor explains FA Cup significance ahead of Sheffield United clash

Article image:Taylor explains FA Cup significance ahead of Sheffield United clash

Gareth Taylor has described what success in the FA Cup this season would mean to both his players ahead of our fourth round match against Sheffield United.

City welcome the Blades to the Academy Stadium on Sunday 29 January for a 13:00 (UK) kick-off, which is available to watch live on CITY+ and Recast.


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Our success in the competition back in November 2020 represented the first piece of silverware we won under Taylor’s leadership, and we have since gone on to finish as semi-finalists and runners up in the two most recent tournaments.

And the boss is hoping his team can add a fourth FA Cup triumph to the cabinet in the coming months.

“It’s always an aim for us [to win the FA Cup]. I think some people or teams might look at certain competitions as more important than others,” he said.

“We accept that the league is the competition you really want to win because you have to be faultless and it’s often the marker of a good team.

“In cup competitions you can win six to eight games and it’s not necessarily the best team who wins, but you have to be consistent in those games.

“You have to work a lot with the League Cup as an example to get that real opportunity. It’s the same with the FA Cup, you get down to the nitty gritty from around the quarter-final stages.

“The last two or three years our record in the FA Cup record has been really good. It’s a great competition and one that’s still admired by supporters and players. It means a lot to them.”

City were without defensive duo Esme Morgan and Demi Stokes for Wednesday’s 6-0 victory over Bristol City in the Continental Cup quarter-finals, and the boss provided an update on their progress.

Morgan has been ruled out with an Achilles problem having been substituted at half-time of our 1-1 draw with Aston Villa earlier this month, while Stokes is continuing to recover from a niggle.

Although the boss is doubtful that they will make their returns this weekend, he has been pleased with their progress thus far.

“At this moment, there’s no real change to what we saw against Bristol.

“With Demi and Esme, they're a little bit closer to getting back to where we need to be but unlikely to figure this weekend.

“Outside of that, pretty much everyone else is available.

“We have another training session tomorrow before we make a decision [on the squad]. I don’t look too much ahead of the squad rotation.

“I think at the moment , regardless of what team we pick, the levels have been very good.

“Some players have played more minutes in the cups, the likes of Mary [Fowler], Julie [Blakstad] and Filippa [Angeldahl], and have done really well, scored goals and really contributed.”

City v Sheffield United

Our FA Cup fourth round tie with Sheffield United will be broadcast live on CITY+ and Recast.

Kick-off at the Academy Stadium is set for 13:00 (UK) on Sunday 29 January.

And you can watch the beginning of our latest pursuit of the trophy live with a CITY+ or Recast subscription.

CITY+ AND RECAST

You can watch exclusive City content on CITY+ and Recast.

Available for just £2.99 per month across all our digit platforms, a CITY+ subscription and provides supporters with unrivalled access to new and exclusive City content.

It will allow you to watch full-match replays of all Men's and Women's matches, selected broadcasts of Women's, Elite Development Squad and Academy matches and provides access to the full catalogue of City Studios documentaries.

The official Man City Recast channel offers fans flexible, pay-per-view live fixtures and on demand viewing options including match action from across the years, legend interviews, Best of Series, Man City Esports and City Studios documentaries.

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