Man City will be too much for Leyton Orient.
Image credit: Erkin Hasan
Leyton Orient welcomes Manchester City to Brisbane Road in the FA Cup fourth round, looking to cause a massive upset against the reigning English champions.
While Orient is pushing for promotion in League One, City sees the FA Cup as a crucial opportunity to secure silverware this season.
Leyton Orient’s Big Challenge
For Richie Wellens’ side, this is a golden opportunity to test themselves against elite opposition.
Sitting sixth in League One and battling for a Championship promotion spot, their main focus remains the league.
However, a strong performance against City could be a confidence booster for the rest of the season.
Playing at home will be an advantage, and with the backing of their fans, Orient will aim to make life difficult for Pep Guardiola’s side.
While they are massive underdogs, they will take inspiration from past FA Cup upsets and try to frustrate a rotated City squad.
Manchester City’s Best Chance at a Trophy?
With their Premier League title hopes fading—they currently trail Liverpool by 15 points—and a tough Champions League tie against Real Madrid looming, City may view the FA Cup as their most realistic shot at silverware this season.
Given their packed schedule, Guardiola is expected to rest key players and field a second-string lineup, similar to the side that thrashed Salford City 8-0 in the previous round.
However, even a rotated City squad boasts enough quality to win convincingly.
Head-to-Head Record
These two sides have met six times in their history. Manchester City has won five, while Orient’s only victory came in 1964.
The hosts will be hoping to rewrite history with an upset, but City’s superior squad depth makes them overwhelming favorites.
Predicted Lineups
Leyton Orient (4-2-3-1): Keeley; Galbraith, Cooper, Happe, Currie; Pratley, Brown; Markanday, Donley, Abdulai; Kelman.
Manchester City (4-3-3): Ortega; Akanji, Simpson-Pusey, Kushanov, Nunes; Gundogan, McAtee, Grealish; Foden, Savinho, Marmoush.
Match Prediction
Leyton Orient will look to make it competitive early on, but City’s quality should prove too much.
A rotated City side is still expected to dominate possession and create plenty of chances. While Orient might show resilience, the visitors should secure a comfortable win.
Predicted score: Leyton Orient 0-4 Manchester City.
How to Watch
The match kicks off at 7:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, Feb. 8, and will be streamed live on ESPN+.