Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the FA Cup match.
It has been nearly 60 years since Leyton Orient and Manchester City last faced each other, with their most recent meeting taking place during the 1965/66 season in the old Second Division. That was so long ago that England had yet to win their only World Cup. The decades since have taken these clubs in completely different directions, making the arrival of Manchester City a major event for the East London outfit.
Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient are currently battling for a League One play-off spot, sitting in sixth place in the standings. Their FA Cup run has already been historic, as this is their best campaign since 2010/11, when they reached the fifth round (last 16). To reach this stage, the team edged past Derby County on penalties after a 1:1 draw, eliminating a Championship club that was playing in the Premier League not too long ago.
Manchester City
Manchester City, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from a humiliating defeat against Arsenal (1:5) in their last Premier League outing. The scoreline was particularly shocking given that Arsenal generated only 1.00 xG, yet managed to convert five of their seven shots on target. Pep Guardiola has faced criticism for this result, though the club hopes it was just a one-off disaster. Key figures such as Manuel Akanji, John Stones, and Phil Foden were involved, but the team simply collapsed defensively.
Leyton Orient vs Manchester City Prediction
Manchester City’s players will be determined to erase the memory of that embarrassment, and whoever takes to the pitch in East London will be expected to maintain an intense level of performance until the tie is completely secured. Given the vast difference in quality between the teams, the visitors should win comfortably.
