Manchester City have match-winners all over the field in Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane to name but a few, and it was Aguero with a brace, alongside a goal apiece from Sane and Bernardo Silva that saw City beat Burnley in their previous FA Cup tie.

Guardiola can afford to focus a little more on the cup competitions after his side's relentless assault on the Premier League this term, and a 12-point buffer between the league leaders and second place means the manager could name stronger cup teams than he might have expected at this stage.

"If we sit in and let Man City come onto us, it's going to be near impossible".

"He's got hundreds of staff and yet he came to watch the two teams, and to me that is class". In between, the home match with Newcastle saw a team that had set themselves up to resemble the football equivalent of a hedgehog preparing to be flattened by a truck also score a neat but totally avoidable goal of their own.

"I think it was my second goal for Arsenal inside the box". Alvaro Negredo scored a late consolation, but Cardiff held on for a memorable triumph. "We played amazing in the first half", Spaniard Guardiola said after reaching his first final with the club.

Over two legs, Bristol City gave Guardiola a better test than most Premier League teams have so far this season.

A lot will depend on the performance of Kenneth Zohore. It was fabulous. We didn't go training in the week, we went sledging at Woolaton Park. "It's difficult to understand what happened".

Manchester City's defense has been good this season, but not infallible, and that is typified by John Stones. They then host Chelsea three days later before flying to Basel for the next Wednesday's Champions League last-16 first leg. We have to avoid contact, defend high and use our quality to try and play our game.

Cardiff will be without Yanic Wildschut, who made his debut for the Bluebirds two weeks ago after joining on loan from Norwich.

Fred is still charged with recovering possession and stamping out counter-attacks but his technical qualities are now clearer to see under the Portuguese, with his power and dynamism now utilised to launch his side forward in transitions.

Should the Catalonian rotate, Neil Warnock's men will provide a unique physical challenge for the young players and a draw is 9/2 (5.5).

Pep Guardiola has promised that Manchester City's increasingly congested fixture list will not cause him to abandon the FA Cup as his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini did. It's perfect for them, it's a party or maybe a good opportunity.