MICHAEL Flynn is convinced that a win for Newport County AFC over Manchester City on Saturday would be the biggest shock in the history of the FA Cup – and he believes his side can pull off the 35/1 shot.
County have already beaten 2016 Premier League winners Leicester City in the third round and they now take on the reigning champions in the fifth round.
The Exiles slipped to 15th in the League Two table after Tuesday’s unfortunate 1-0 defeat to MK Dons, while City are 1st in the top tier after their 6-0 demolition of Chelsea on Sunday.
It’s a clash of David and Goliath proportions and Flynn insists that Pep Guardiola’s men are the biggest giants this country has ever seen.
“We’re playing the Premier League champions and arguably the best Premier League team ever,” said the manager.
“It would be the biggest shock in the history of the FA Cup.
“I know it’s easy for me to say, because I’m the underdog manager, but the way football has gone now with the finances and the gulf in facilities and resources they’ve got, the players they’ve got and the manager they’ve got – it will be the biggest FA Cup shock ever.
“I’m not discrediting any results in the past, but when you look at the financial gulf and the level that Man City are playing at and the manager they have, that’s why I say it would be the biggest.
“I remember Wrexham beating Arsenal [in 1992] and before that Hereford beat Newcastle [in 1972] and lots of other upsets over the years.
"They were fantastic results and we’re still talking about them all these years later.
"That’s the magic of the FA Cup – you still get those opportunities and that’s what we’ve got. Let’s hope we can add another one to the list.”
So what chance have County got against Guardiola’s galacticos?
“It’s a long shot, but I believe if we play to the best of our ability and they have a bit of an off day and miss a few chances then we can cause the biggest upset in the history of the FA Cup,” said Flynn.
“I’m not unrealistic or delusional. I’m hoping they rest a few, I want a few of them to have a bad game and I want every single one of our players to play as well as they can, because that’s the only chance we’ve got.
“It’s always a little bit easier when you’re at home,” he added.
“I wouldn’t even be contemplating a win if it was at the Etihad.
“It’s going to be really difficult anyway at Rodney Parade, but it’s about the occasion.
“It’s about enjoying the occasion and making sure the players go out there with the belief that they can cause problems for Man City and believing that we deserve to be there, because we do.
“We want to cause Man City problems and give a good account of ourselves and then enjoy Saturday evening and look back on a fantastic day, win, lose or draw.”
READ MORE: Man City showdown shows how far Exiles have come
READ MORE: FA Cup hero Willmott will not walk out on County
*Kick off tomorrow is at 5.30pm. You can follow all the action, including the build up, with our live blog. Get involved using the Twitter hashtag #OneClubOneCounty
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel