Manchester City vs Exeter City FA Cup 3rd round: Preview, when and where to watch in India?

Despite City's status as Premier League champions, recent injuries to key players like Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias have raised hopes for the League One underdogs.

Manchester City will face League One team Exeter City FC in the third round of FA Cup.

The Etihad Stadium prepares for a true "David vs. Goliath" encounter today as the reigning Premier League giants, Manchester City host League One side Exeter City in the FA Cup third round. While on paper this appears to be a straightforward assignment for Pep Guardiola’s men, a sudden injury crisis and a dip in league form have given the 8,000 traveling "Grecians" fans a glimmer of hope for an all-time historic upset.

Match details

Match: Manchester City vs Exeter City, FA Cup 3rd round

Dates: Saturday, January 10, 2026.

Venue: 8.30 PM IST

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Where can I watch the Manchester City vs Exeter City, FA Cup 3rd round match online?

Football fans in India can watch the Manchester City vs Exeter City, FA Cup 3rd round match on SonyLIV via OTTplay Premium.

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Head-to-head stats

This is the first-ever meeting between Manchester City and Exeter City. City have won their last five matches against English teams they are facing for the first time by an aggregate score of 23-2.

Preview

Incredibly, this fixture marks the first-ever competitive meeting between Manchester City and Exeter City. For the visitors, it is the ultimate "glamour tie," coming at a time when the club’s fan-owned model has faced significant financial pressure.

For the hosts, it is an opportunity to reset after a frustrating start to 2026, which has seen them play out three consecutive 1-1 draws in the Premier League against Sunderland, Chelsea, and Brighton.

Read also: 5 players to watch out for in WPL 2026 season.

Team News: Defensive crisis at the Etihad

Pep Guardiola faces a selection headache, particularly in the heart of his defense.

With John Stones also sidelined due to a persistent thigh issue, City may be forced to field academy prospects like Max Alleyne or Stephen Mfuni. Additionally, Oscar Bobb and Mateo Kovacic remain out, while Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri are away on Africa Cup of Nations duty.

However, the Grecians will be without Johnly Yfeko and Josh Magennis through injury.

Tactical outlook

Expect Guardiola to rotate heavily, potentially handing starts to the Heskey brothers (Jaden and Reigan) and young midfield talent Divine Mukasa.

Exeter will likely deploy a compact 5-4-1 formation, hoping to frustrate City’s makeshift defense and utilize the pace of Jack Aitchison on the counter-attack.

Exeter chairman Pete Ferlie recently appealed to Manchester City for a larger share of the gate receipts to aid the fan-owned club’s finances.

While the request was politely declined in line with standard policy, the expected £300,000 windfall from the sold-out Etihad gate will still be transformative for the League One side.

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