Managers threatening to play a weakened team in the FA Cup has become a familiar sound in recent seasons and Manuel Pellegrini joined the chorus ahead of Manchester City’s fifth-round tie away to Chel
Managers threatening to play a weakened team in the FA Cup has become a familiar sound in recent seasons and Manuel Pellegrini joined the chorus ahead of Manchester City’s fifth-round tie away to Chelsea on Sunday.
At both ends of the Premier League, the financial incentive to either qualify for the Champions League or avoid relegation has led to many managers drawing on their extended squads for FA Cup ties.
In fairness to Pellegrini, who was told at the start of this month that he would be replaced as City manager by Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola at the end of the season, his FA Cup dilemma this weekend is not of his own making.
The BBC, who are broadcasting City’s Cup tie, have had their request to get the game moved from Saturday to Sunday accepted by the FA.
That means Pellegrini’s men will be in action just a day before they travel to Ukraine ahead of the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday, with City bidding to reach the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite club competition for the first time.
That fixture in turn takes place just four days before City face Liverpool in the League Cup final at Wembley a week on Sunday.
For Premier League champions Chelsea, a massive 20 points behind shock league leaders Leicester City, the FA Cup represents their best chance of a trophy this term, but Pellegrini may be tempted to rest the likes of Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Joe Hart at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal, bidding to become the first club since Blackburn Rovers in the 19th century to win the FA Cup three years in a row, face Hull City on Saturday.
The other all top-flight FA Cup tie this weekend involves two London clubs, with high-flyers Tottenham Hotspur at home to Crystal Palace.
