Manchester United played their part in attempting to cause a major FA Cup upset on Saturday afternoon as they came to the aid of Exeter City.While the rivalry between the two Manchester clubs has long...
Manchester United played their part in attempting to cause a major FA Cup upset on Saturday afternoon as they came to the aid of Exeter City.
While the rivalry between the two Manchester clubs has long been known, the latest revelation adds an intriguing layer to the build-up to last weekend’s FA Cup encounter at the Etihad Stadium behind the scenes.
For Manchester City, who arrived in the third round as overwhelming favourites, the suggestion that help was being offered to Exeter from Old Trafford only sharpened the narrative around an already fascinating tie.
Pep Guardiola had spoken beforehand about the dangers of complacency and the need to treat the League One visitors with full respect, despite the gulf in resources and status within the English football pyramid.
Manchester City’s recent domestic form and growing confidence across competitions meant the match was viewed as a chance to continue building rhythm, but also as a potential banana skin if standards dropped.
From a City perspective, the fixture also represented another opportunity to assess squad depth and give minutes to players pushing for greater involvement, although Guardiola remained clear there would be no easing off, regardless of opposition.
And according to a new report from MailSport, Manchester United were ‘more than willing to throw their doors open’ to Exeter City last week in a bid to help the League One side ‘mastermind a famous win’ over Manchester City.
It is pointed out that those at Old Trafford have a history of welcoming other teams to their training ground when opponents are ‘travelling from far away’ to prepare to take on Pep Guardiola’s side.
The gesture was framed as logistical support rather than direct tactical collaboration and, for Exeter, represented a chance to prepare for a top-level clash in elite surroundings and make their trip north as productive as possible.
Manchester City’s performance rendered any off-field assistance irrelevant as Guardiola’s side played with intensity, control, and clinical edge, leaving Exeter chasing shadows for long periods and succumbing to a staggering 10-1 defeat.
City will have further opportunity to get back at Manchester United this weekend, when they travel to Old Trafford in Premier League action, hoping to spoil the welcome party for new head coach Michael Carrick – appointed into the position until the end of the season.
Category: General Sports
