Sean Morrison and his Bluebirds players are ready for their biggest test of the season.
Cardiff City captain Morrison and his team take on the ‘best team in Europe’ when Premier League leaders Manchester City visit South Wales in the Emirates FA Cup Sunday (5.30pm).
Morrison’s men will take heart from the way Bristol City competed with the Sky Blues over two legs in the League Cup semi-finals.
Manager Pep Guardiola’s team qualified for the final, winning 5-3 on aggregate, but the Robins were certainly competitive.
“We are facing the best team in Europe and they have some of the World’s outstanding players,” says Morrison. “There is no pressure on us. We can go out in front of a full crowd, enjoy it and try to win the game.
“Bristol City did fantastically well against Manchester United and then brilliantly against City over the two legs. There is something we can take from that and know we can give them a good game of we can get our game plan right.
“The gaps are obviously there. They are Premier League players used to playing in the Champions League, while we are in the Championship at the moment.
“But all of us are aspiring to be Premier League players and it will be nice to get out there and show people the gap isn’t as big as some people think it is.
“Premier League is massive now that you watch Match of the Day and the analysis programmes and know what kind of player Sergio Aguero is and the majority of their players.
“I’m fully aware of the quality of Aguero and his goal scoring record speaks for itself. I played against him before and know the quality of player he is. I’m just looking forward to getting out there and doing my job.”
The Bluebirds hope this fourth round in front of a sell-out attendance, including almost 4,000 away fans, will fire up their Championship promotion challenge.
“Maybe this can propel our season and help get us into the automatic promotion places,” said Morrison. “If Cardiff go up we’ll be coming up against sides like them every week next season.
“It is a big test, but one we are looking forward to. We are going to set up to give them the best game we possible can and try to get through to the next round.”
Manchester City already look nailed on to win the Premier League title and are intent on collecting a haul of trophies this season.
“You can see what Pep has achieved and the competitions he has won at previous clubs,” says Morrison. “He is a fantastic manager with a fabulous squad of players.
“They are running away with it in the Premier League. If we catch them on an off day we have every chance.
“It is fantastic to watch their football and it’s going to be hard to deal with. We will have to be firing on everything we’ve got to stand a chance of winning.
“If we sit in and let them come on to us it is going to be an impossible game. Our aim is to get in their faces and do what we’ve been doing in the Championship this year to the likes of teams like Wolves.
“Manchester City are obviously a better team, but if we can put that game plan out there we might stand a chance.
“We will be playing in a full stadium and that’s great.”
Aron Gunnarsson, Matt Connolly, Lee Peltier and Danny Ward will miss the cup clash, while Lee Camp and Craig Bryson are doubtful. Winger Kadeem Harris is available after recovering from injury.
Possible teams:
Cardiff City: Etheridge, Richards, Manga, Morrison, Bennett, Bamba, Ralls, Paterson, Mendez-Laing, Hoilett, Zohore.
Manchester City: Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Otamendi, Zinchenko, Gundogan, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Aguero, Sane.