Non-league tales of FA Cup anguish

Manchester City’s roving reporter writes every week for Chron Sport
THE FA Cup is as special a competition for players as it is for fans, but it was one that I never fared too well in.

I had some bad results against non-league sides, losing to Telford twice, and when I was at Preston back in 1989 we went out to Whitley Bay.

The furthest I ever managed to get was the fourth round with Huddersfield in 1971, when we lost 1-0 to Stoke in a second replay. This year, there is plenty of local interest with Salford City, FC United and Stalybridge involved, so it will be interesting to see how it pans out.

The Manchester derby was a case of two sides who really cancelled each other out; a bit of a stalemate. But both teams were very good defensively and I didn’t think it was actually a bad game to watch — despite the lack of goals.

By all accounts, United feel they should have had a penalty. But as far as we are concerned, it was a decent point.

It comes on the back of the victory over Seville in the Champions League, which was a fantastic result.

I am sure both of our fixtures against them will prove to be very important in the context of the group, so to get back to winning ways was very positive.

Looking ahead to tomorrow night, when we host Crystal Palace in the Capital One Cup, while it is a competition that boss Manuel Pellegrini wants to do well in he may well choose to play one or two who are on the fringes. Wilfried Bony could do with some game-time, I am sure, but there might be a chance in there for young Kelechi Iheanacho.

We have seen the teenager make six substitute appearances so far, including late on at Old Trafford.

Last time he played against Palace he won the game with a goal, but if he does start tomorrow then he faces a different sort of challenge compared to trying to make an impact off the bench.