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Grecians travel to the Etihad looking to cause huge shock
FA Cup third round weekend is always one for the January diary and there will be smaller clubs looking to perform giant-killing heroics against some of England’s top clubs.
This year, step forward Exeter City - managed by former Scotland defender Gary Caldwell and with an ex-Livingston man given the task of potentially having to thwart one of the world’s best strikers when they take on Manchester City.
Exeter defender Jack Fitzwater accepts he may have to play the perfect game to stop Erling Haaland on Saturday – and even that might not be enough. He may also have to deal with Antoine Semenyo, who has just completed a £65 million move from Bournemouth to City. Yet that will not prevent the 28-year-old and his team-mates from dreaming of an upset as the League One side travel to the Etihad Stadium.
Exeter's Jack Fitzwater spent three seasons with Livingston.placeholder image
Exeter's Jack Fitzwater spent three seasons with Livingston. | Getty Images
As a centre-back, Fitzwater could be in the firing line as the prolific Haaland, scorer of 26 goals in 27 appearances for City this season, bids to add to his tally. It is a daunting challenge but one he is relishing.
Fitzwater said: “He is, pound for pound, the best number nine in the world and, for me, being a centre-half hopefully coming up against him, it would be great for me to try and test myself against him and see what it’s like.
“This season he’s been unbelievable and over the years he’s been in the Premier League his goalscoring record is ridiculous. Obviously I’m going to have to be on my game. I’m going to have to play a perfect game to keep him quiet.”
Caldwell won FA Cup against Man City
Exeter, who are 14th in the third tier, have never played City in competitive football before but, when it comes to beating them, they need look no further than Caldwell, who won 55 caps for Scotland and played for Celtic and Hibs, for inspiration. The 43-year-old, who has been Grecians boss for the past three years, was a member of the Wigan side that famously beat City in the 2013 FA Cup final.
Fitzwater himself is no novice having had a three-year spell in the Scottish top flight with Livingston and played at grounds like Ibrox and Celtic Park.
There is also another Scottish link for the Devon side. Veterans Kevin McDonald, the former Burnley, Wolves and Fulham midfielder who has been capped by Scotland, and Northern Ireland striker Josh Magennis - formerly of Aberdeen and Kilmarnock - are in an Exeter side that will travel to Manchester with confidence.
Gary Caldwell is now in charge of Exeter City.placeholder image
Gary Caldwell is now in charge of Exeter City. | Getty Images
Fitzwater said: “We don’t mention it too much but our gaffer has gone and beaten them in the FA Cup final at Wembley and he’ll come up with a good game plan, I’m sure. And we’ve got coaches and other players that can share experiences of playing against big, big teams.
“We know what we’re going to come up against is one of the best teams in the world, but there’s no point turning up just to try not to get beaten. I believe if we go there with the right mindset we can certainly cause them a few problems and you never know with the FA Cup, it’s got that special bit of magic about it.”
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For Fitzwater, that combination of cup magic and a test against the best makes it an occasion to savour. “Obviously it’s really, really exciting,” he said. “These things might not happen again in people’s careers, so you’ve got to take the chance.
“Hopefully, we’re victorious or give a really, really good account of ourselves because these boys are at the pinnacle of football and that’s somewhere we’re all striving to get to.”
The game kicks off at 3pm on Saturday and is not being broadcast live on TV.