FA Cup Fifth Round – Saturday, March 1, 2025
Etihad Stadium in Manchester will stage the match that starts at 5:45 PM GMT.
Live on ITV4 and ITVX
The fifth round FA Cup match features a compelling contest that brings Premier League powerhouse Manchester City against the underdog Plymouth Argyle from the Championship on Saturday March 1, 2025 at the Etihad Stadium. The pre-match preview released on February 27, 2025 gives an in-depth analysis of this exciting cup match by examining team form alongside critical players, tactical approaches and historic information while forecasting what spectators should anticipate.
Manchester City enters this match as heavy favorites to win their eighth FA Cup title even though Plymouth Argyle builds confidence from defeating Premier League leaders Liverpool 1-0 in the previous round of the competition. Under the lights of the Etihad Stadium both Pep Guardiola’s well-functioning system and Miron Muslic’s fighting Pilgrims will meet in a tense match.
The Road to the Fifth Round
Manchester City reached their fifth-round position through a combination of absolute dominance next to courageous opposition battles. During the third round of the competition Manchester City delivered an 8-0 defeat to Salford City at their home stadium to demonstrate their attacking power. Dickhaizen scored three times for Manchester City in the third round competition as Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden wreaked havoc in the opposing defense despite City playing with substitute players. The teams were fully challenged during the fourth fixture of the competition. City went into halftime behind at Brisbane Road when Orient scored an errant goal from Stefan Ortega Moreno. Progression was secured in the second half after Khusanov scored to equalize and De Bruyne netted the decisive winning goal, but these victories exposed weaknesses that Plymouth City could potentially attack.
Plymouth’s path, meanwhile, has been nothing short of a fairytale. The Championship side, currently languishing near the bottom of their division, kicked off their FA Cup campaign with a 1-0 upset over Brentford in the third round at the Gtech Community Stadium. Mustapha Bundu’s strike sent the Pilgrims through, setting the stage for their heroics against Liverpool. At Home Park, Ryan Hardie’s second-half penalty felled the Premier League leaders in a 1-0 giant-killing that reverberated across English football. Manager Miron Muslic’s defensive organization and counter-attacking nous have turned Plymouth into this season’s surprise package, earning them a daunting but exhilarating trip to Manchester.
Team News
Manchester City
The match against Chelsea brings Pep Guardiola an optimistic situation because his players have recovered from injuries and returned to health. After the Wednesday Premier League victory against Tottenham Hotspur on February 26, 2025, Pep Guardiola announced his team had no further injury issues. Erling Haaland resumes his place as starting striker after recovery from his injury period to add to his total of 20 Premier League goals. With standard-league attackers injured Plymouth faces difficulty against the physical presence of Norwegian forward who finishes efficiently.
City’s midfielder continues to operate as their essential force because of Kevin De Bruyne’s crucial role in Leonard Orient’s return. Despite numerous fixtures in his schedule Guardiola will most likely play Kevin De Bruyne because his vision and passing range represents an unlock for the Plymouth compact defense. The tremendous form of Phil Foden in 2025 has made him a likely starter for City as his dribbling skill combines with goal-scoring abilities to boost the attack. The manager has two options for playing full-backs at Pablo Arabi City’s next League Cup match yet he will probably make a substitution given the approaching Champions League schedule.
Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol should start alongside each other in defense to protect the goal while the team uses Kyle Walker’s speed to beat Plymouth’s quick strikes on the break. The team needs Ederson Moraes as goalkeeper since Ortega Moreno showed weak form during the previous game. New City signing Claudio Echeverri will likely enter as a substitute in his first Manchester City match due to his promise as a 19-year-old Argentine star player.
Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth’s cup ambitions face serious jeopardy because too many of their players are injured. The back injury of strikers Ryan Hardie prevents him from the pitch while Muhamed Tijani faces multiple weeks of recovery from his hamstring problem. The hip injury to Galloway and hamstring problem with Edwards creates major selection trouble for Muslic because he lacks backup options. The leadership role belongs to Mustapha Bundu who previously covered for the starting forward position while Michael Obafemi serves as his backup playing on loan from Burnley.
The defensive focus of Adam Randell and Darko Gyabi will protect City’s game structure while the attacking positions will belong to Matty Sorinola and Morgan Whittaker. Julio Pleguezuelo could resume playing after the Liverpool match which will give the backline reinforced with Lewis Gibson and Dan Scarr as captain. Goalkeeper Conor Hazard stood out through his exceptional play during the Liverpool match therefore City fans expect his presence to be crucial once more as he defends against Manchester City’s numerous offensive attacks.
Tactical Preview
Manchester City
Guardiola’s system of play will probably integrate his signature passing style to penetrate the defense lines of Plymouth by playing tight passes while shifting players. The 4-3-3 formation City uses positions Haaland at the center with Foden and Grealish or Doku playing at the wing positions. As City’s deep-lying playmaking midfielder De Bruyne will be vital due to his ability to control the midfield together with Gündoğan and Rodri who provide defensive stability for possession control.
City encountered difficulties with a low defense from Leyton Orient in the first half which Plymouth will probably use as their strategy. Guardiola could order Walker and Gvardiol to advance forward thus extending the pitch so Foden can transition smoothly from the wide positions toward the middle. The defensive qualities of Haaland and Dias can be crucial when City scores goals through set-pieces. City faces the difficult task of staying concentrated throughout the playoff until the end because Plymouth enters with no pressure with nothing to lose while City must prevent their recent nearly fatal mistake in the last round.
Plymouth Argyle
The defensive organization Plymouth attributes to Miron Muslic led them to two shutout victories against Brentford and Liverpool. The team plans to play with a 4-2-3-1 formation which places Bundu forward and Whittaker as the playmaker deep in midfield. Because of their defensive approach Plymouth will occupy a deep position which allows City to control the ball but Sorinola and Whittaker will try to create fast counterattacks. Both Randell and Gyabi will create a defensive partnership that uses physical approaches to contain Rodri and De Bruyne.
Plymouth intends to absorb pressure through disciplined organization to launch rapid counterattacks. Hazard must firmly stop shots while the team must defend City’s dangerous set pieces effectively since they proved susceptible to them at the Championship level. Following their victory over Liverpool Muslic boldly proclaimed his indifference to their upcoming opponents but faces a substantially stronger challenge.
Historical Context
The February 1989 Division Two match at Maine Road ended in a 2-0 victory for Manchester City for Neil McNab and Wayne Biggins. That championship victory in 1989 turned City into the top place in the league while today they lead the entire English football world in dominance. Plymouth operated as a second-division team during this matchup after which they faced Manchester City infrequently up to present day.
The FA Cup competition holds a strong historical standing for Manchester City. The 2023 Manchester United FA Cup victory was one of the seven times that City won the cup but United turned around that outcome the following year. During the 2006/07 season Plymouth reached their deepest campaign in recent times by advancing to the quarter-finals although they had never encountered an opponent like City at this tournament stage. A Pilgrims victory against Manchester City will be a monumental accomplishment to match Liverpool’s previous cup disturbance in the FA competition.
Key Battles
Erling Haaland vs. Dan Scarr
Plymouth’s central defender Dan Scarr faces great challenges due to Erling Haaland’s powerful combination of physical presence and goal-scoring ability. During aerial battles with Liverpool Scarr proved crucial but Haaland’s physical strength would dominate Scarr when Manchester City’s entire unit performs to its full potential.
Kevin De Bruyne vs. Adam Randell
The battle between De Bruyne’s strategic influence on the field will encounter Randell’s determined defending. The seasoned midfielder De Bruyne delivers the upper hand to this showdown because of his game management skills against the young defensive intervention of the opponent.
Morgan Whittaker vs. Kyle Walker
The quick movements from Whittaker could create issues for Walker due to his dual responsibility of attacking and defending. A minor mistake by this City veteran could provide Plymouth the opportunity they need.
Form Guide
Manchester City has performed in their previous five matches in all domestic and international competitions.
- W 1-0 vs. Tottenham (Premier League, Feb 26, 2025)
- L 1-3 vs. Real Madrid (Champions League, Feb 19, 2025)
- W 4-0 vs. Newcastle (Premier League, Feb 15, 2025)
- W 2-1 vs. Leyton Orient (FA Cup, Feb 8, 2025)
- L 2-3 vs. Real Madrid (Champions League, Feb 11, 2025)
The City team displayed uneven performance this season since they began the Premier League campaign 20 points behind Liverpool. The midweek triumph against Spurs points to stronger performance but the team continues to show weak defensive abilities.
Plymouth Argyle has recently played five matches in all competitions which resulted in mixtures of wins and losses.
- D 1-1 vs. Luton (Championship, Feb 19, 2025)
- L 0-2 vs. Blackburn (Championship, Feb 15, 2025)
- W 1-0 vs. Liverpool (FA Cup, Feb 9, 2025)
- W 5-1 vs. Millwall (Championship, Feb 12, 2025)
- L 1-2 vs. Cardiff (Championship, Feb 22, 2025)
The Championship fights of Plymouth Argyle stand in opposite direction to their success in the FA Cup. Muslic’s defensive progress inspires hope among the Plymouth supporters although injuries along with inconsistent play may limit their potential to win.
What the Managers Say
Pep Guardiola (Pre-Match Press Conference, Feb 28, 2025)
Plymouth gave away one of their impressive wins through their victory over Liverpool. The upcoming match requires all three elements including bravery combined with attention and flawless execution from Manchester City. The distinctive nature of the FA Cup demands respect from our team against all opponents. The Manchester City team under Pep Guardiola shows a determined spirit for winning the trophy, now that Haaland has returned to action.
Miron Muslic (Post-Liverpool Comments, Feb 9, 2025)
This team faces whatever competition lies ahead regardless of opponents. The team successfully defeated all titles so we will take this match to Manchester City with confident determination. All my players exhibit warrior class because they provide total effort during matches.
Prediction
While Manchester City possesses greater quality they need to overcome Plymouth’s defensive resistance for a victory that should not be taken as guaranteed. The attacking combination of Haaland and De Bruyne and Foden along with City’s firepower will probably break down the defensive efforts of a weakened Argyle team during the early part of the match. Manchester City will control the game through their possession (more than 70%) while creating between fifteen and twenty shots in addition to Plymouth using Hazard’s defensive skills and the sparse opportunities they would obtain from counterattacks.
The home victory is all but certain for Manchester City but Plymouth may apply stubborn resistance before City pulls away. Prediction: Manchester City 3-0 Plymouth Argyle.
Conclusion
The fifth-round FA Cup contest features Manchester City as the top-tier giants facing Plymouth Argyle who possess fledgling momentum alongside a fighting spirit. Michigan City uses this opportunity to maintain their Cup competition persistence through this tough season. Through this match Plymouth Argyle has a chance to continue their extraordinary history. The match will begin at 5:45 PM GMT on March 1, 2025 and fans should not skip this event.
