Manchester City v Plymouth Argyle: Prediction, Tips and Odds

For the first time since his first season at the Etihad back in 2016/17, Pep Guardiola goes into March with only one trophy left to fight for and that should focus his players ahead of the visit of Plymouth Argyle in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Winning the FA Cup now becomes a major priority for the Citizens chief and he'll not take lightly a Pilgrims' side who have already toppled two Premier League sides.

Manchester City v Plymouth Argyle betting tips and predictions

Manchester City & Over 3.5 Goals - 8/11

The status of the FA Cup may have changed in the eyes of many managers, but it means the world to Guardiola this season.

With their Premier League title defence in tatters and their place in the UEFA Champions League gone, a return to Wembley in May for the FA Cup final shares top billing for Guardiola alongside a top-four league finish.

To that end expect City to go strong at home to Championship strugglers Plymouth at the Etihad on Saturday night and do to Argyle what Brentford in round three and Liverpool in round four could not.

And that's not only beat them, but beat them well.

City show very little sympathy for lower-league teams in cup ties. Since their shock loss to Wigan in the 2017/18 FA Cup fifth round, City have played 18 non-Premier League sides in the competition and won the lot by an accumulated 69-9 scoreline.

At home that record reads played eight, won all eight, and the aggregate scoreline is 41-1.

Of those 19 matches, City and Over 3.5 Goals copped on 12 occasions - seven out of eight at home. Expect it to do so again.

Plymouth have unquestionably been improved by the arrival of no-nonsense Miron Muslic, who has brought some real positivity to Home Park.

Since New Year's Day they have lost just three of 13 in all competitions and he has improved them on the road.

They had been terrible travellers, losing 11 and drawing the other two of their first 13 away games, but since the turn of the year they have drawn at Stoke, Sunderland and Luton and, of course, won 1-0 at Brentford in this competition.

That was then trumped by beating Liverpool by the same score at a rocking Home Park, but that looked a mix-and-match Reds' team who weren't really up for the scrap.

James McAtee Over 1.5 Shots on Target - 9/2

There's an inevitable changing of the guard in the City midfield, with the days of Kevin de Bruyne influencing games seem to be long gone.

Jack Grealish looks to be surplus to requirements and the likes of Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan are being used more and more sparingly.

Among the raft of youngsters looking to step up is James McAtee, who has been in every Premier League matchday squad this season, played UEFA Champions League minutes and who is definitely a Guardiola favourite.

Starting in effectively a No.10 role against Salford City in round three he helped himself to a hat-trick and he has gone on to score his first Premier League goals for the club, off the bench against Ipswich Town and Newcastle United.

In two FA Cup ties this term McAtee has had six shots, four on target, and looks an obvious call at 5/6 to have Over 0.5 Shots on Target.

However, given the barrage City are going to unload, take a chance on Over 1.5 at 9/2.

Maksym Talovierov To Be Booked - 7/2

Ukraine international Maksym Talovierov has wasted no time making his mark at Home Park and could well find himself central to a lot of the action at the Etihad.

One of Muslic's key January transfers, the 22-year-old has stiffened up the new-look back five which is going to be worked hard by City.

In just five Championship appearances for Argyle, he has scored a goal and also made an impressive 17 tackles.

In the FA Cup win over Liverpool he had one tackle and committed one foul earning him a yellow card.

That's three yellows in six appearances since signing from Austrian side LASK and suggests he has to be a spot of value at 7/2 to be booked at City, where he is going to be under constant pressure.

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Manchester City v Plymouth Argyle Odds

Manchester City - 1/16
Draw - 10/1
Plymouth Argyle - 28/1

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.