If Leicester win this replay Sven will be reunited with another of his former teams in the fourth round. A trip to Meadow Lane to visit League One team Notts County awaits Eriksson who would be able to complete the set of returns to former clubs he has been involved with in English football.
Leicester’s away form this season has been poor . They have won just three times on the road in the league and currently lie 31 places behind City in the Football League.
Leicester have enjoyed better fortunes away from home in cup competitions this season however. They have beaten Leeds and Portsmouth on their travels and will head to Eastlands with renewed optimism.
Home form the key
In stark contrast to Leicester’s poor away form, Manchester City boast a very strong home record this season. They have lost only twice in the 16 games they have played in all competitions at Eastlands and will be confident of overcoming the challenge posed by Leicester.
Of the 14 games City have won ten of them and come off the back of scoring plenty of goals against Wolves on Saturday.
Leicester have only ever played at Eastlands twice and have thus far been winless. In 2003/04 they travelled their twice only to be beaten once and secure a replay in the FA Cup in which City knocked out their opponents in the replay.
TEAM NEWS
Manchester City
Manchester City will be without the services of new £27million signing Edin Dzeko who is ineligible.
The Bosnian forward was not registered for the initial game at the Walkers Stadium and therefore cannot be registered for the replay.
Mario Balotelli remains sidelined with a knee injury as manager Roberto Mancini ponders whether to sell striker Emmanuel Adebayor. The Togolese striker could be involved as Mancini may look to rest a few players given their trip to Aston Villa on Saturday.
David Silva may also feature as he continues his return from a knee injury which saw him miss two weeks earlier this month.
Mancini is likely to rest some players much like the Italian did in this season’s Europa League campaign.
Possible starting XI: Hart; Boateng, Toure, Lescott, Kolarov; Milner, Vieira, Barry, Silva, Jo; Adebayor
Leicester City
New loan signing Yakubu is ineligible and will miss out on a quick return to a Premier League ground since his loan move from Everton.
Darius Vassell is a doubt for his return to his old club with a hamstring injury. The striker missed out on Leicester’s 1-1 draw against Preston on Saturday and remains a doubt for this trip.
Central defender Miquel Vitor is also struggling with a hamstring injury for Leicester.
Possible starting XI: Weale; Naughton, Hobbs, Bamba, Berner; Abe, Wellens, King; Dyer, Gallagher, Howard
Prediction
Man City 3-1 Leicester
