Manchester City turn their focus to AFC Bournemouth away in the FA Cup

Bournemouth are set to host Manchester City on Sunday 18th January at The Snows Stadium.

📸via afcb.co.uk

Overview

Bournemouth face Manchester City in the FA Cup, with both sides aiming to take a significant step towards Silverware. Bournemouth will be hoping to stun the leaders of the WSL by beating them to get through to the next round.

Manchester City, meanwhile, will be hoping to make it the to the next round, as they will be hoping to help their chances of getting some silverware this season, become a reality. With them also being at the top of the WSL they will be going into this game as favourites to win.

From Manchester City's Press Conference:

"Where do you see Sam fitting into the City midfield?"

I agree she is a fantastic player, in our club we will always have a place for fantastic players. So defensively we will find her a place, she's also shows what kind of quality she is going to bring to us. We definitely will be strong with her in our squad."

"We saw her in training for the first time earlier this week. How has she been in those first few sessions?"

Of course, I want to get her on the field as quickly as possible but at the same time we need to be clever in how we do this. We take it slowly, you see already what quality she's having in her passing play.

"Any updates on other players we've sort of seen among training, Mary, Sydney and Aoba?"

Mary has been with us for a couple of sessions now, a little bit modified but training very well with the team. She's not ready yet, but hopefully pretty soon. Sydney has been on the pitch for a couple of days now and in a good place. She wants to be back as soon as possible but she's not in team training yet. Hopefully next week. We'll see how she responds today and tomorrow. Aoba is still training on her own. Hopefully she can be part of team training next week.

Form Guide

Manchester City have been very solid lately, winning 11 out of their 12 WSL games. Their attacking output has been sharp, particularly in their biggest wins, showcasing the fluidity and depth in their forward play. The moment around Manchester City is fully positive, with the team looking confident and in comp control as they push to get through to the next round of the FA Cup.

Bournemouth have experiences a testing period in their campaign, with results not always reflecting the effort and structure shown on the pitch. Despite this, there have been encouraging signs in their organisations and resilience, particularly in their defensive discipline and collective work rate. At times, however, sustaining intensity and control across the full 90 minutes has been a challenge, with lapses often proving costly. As the season progresses, the Cherries will be looking to build on their positive foundations, sharpen their attacking output and turn promising performances into points as they push to climb the table and they will be hoping to get to the next round of the FA Cup.

Key Players to Watch:

Manchester City - Yui Hasegawa

A technically gifted and intelligent midfielder, Yui Hasegawa dictates tempo with her close control and sharp passing. Calm under pressure and positionally disciplined, she links defence and attack effectively while providing balance and composure in the midfield.

Bournemouth Women - Charlotte Harris

A composed and reliable defender, Charlotte Harris brings consistency and discipline to Bournemouth's back line. Strong in her positioning and confident in one-on-one situations, she reads the game well and contributes to the team's defensive organisation, while showing composure in possession when building from the back.

Predictions/Talking Point

Bournemouth Women head into this FA Cup tie with focus and determination, aiming to remain organised and disciplined against elite opposition while looking to exploit transitions and set-piece moments when opportunities arise. Manchester City, meanwhile, arrive as strong favourites, bring fluid attacking movement, sustained possession and high-quality finishing in the final third.

The match presents a clear tactical contrast between Bournemouth's strutted, counter-attacking approach and City's possession-based dominance, with the outcome likely to be shaped by how well Bournemouth manage periods without the ball and how efficiently City convert control into the goals.