Exiles to give Pep’s men a scare? - (2025)

FA Cup ties don’t come much more David v. Goliath than Premier League champions Manchester City hitting the road to face League Two Newport County.

But the Exiles certainly won’t be content to just make up the numbers. They’ve already knocked top-flight Leicester City and Championship Middlesbrough out.

So, can they get Pep Guardiola’s men on the ropes? Or will City rack up the goals at Rodney Parade?

Match Odds

Having demolished lower-tier opposition in both cups this season, Man City are hot favourites at 1/16 for victory. Meanwhile, it’s 14/1 for Michael Flynn’s men to force a replay, and 28/1 for the Exiles to pull off an earth-shattering win.

County are hard to beat at home, losing just two of their last 17 at Rodney Parade. That included the 2-1 win over Leicester and comfortable 2-0 defeat of Boro.

We go 29/20 for Both Teams to Score, while 7/5 says the Newport +3 handicap comes in this afternoon.

Talking Tactics

Newport went 3-5-2 against Boro, and it worked a treat. City could have their hands full with the front two of Padraig Amond and Jamille Matt. The pair have notched a combined 33 goals this term.

Out wide, Dan Butler and Robbie Willmott will need to whip those balls in. Meanwhile, centre-half Regan Poole is on loan from Manchester United and could give his profile a boost with a strong display against their arch rivals.

City are 4-3-3 through and through. Guardiola has tended to show lower-league opposition plenty of respect in his starting XIs, and Gabriel Jesus is likely to be the central striker here.

Teen prodigy Phil Foden is set to feature in midfield, possibly alongside Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne.

City’s cup outings have tended to see Kosovan man-mountain Arijanet Muric between the posts. He could make a sixth outing of the campaign.

Goalscorer Odds

Newport ace Amond has hit the net in each of the last three rounds, and is 4/1 to add to his cup tally against the North-West giants.

He’s as short as any Exiles player to net, but still miles off market leader Sergio Aguero in the betting. The ice-cool Argentine is 1/3 to bag in South Wales, and 5/4 to net Two or More Goals.

Foden could be prove a popular pick, having struck against the likes of Oxford United and Burton Albion already this term. He’s 17/10 to register at Rodney Parade.

Fancy a longshot? What a time this would be for Red Devils loanee Poole to net his first senior goal. The 20-year-old is 33/1 to get one in the onion bag.

Match Info

When: 5:30pm

Where: Rodney Parade, Newport

How to watch: BT Sport 2 / BT Sport 4K UHD

Click here for the latest Newport v Man City odds.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing