Kidd plays down City´s Cup chances

Manchester City assistant coach Brian Kidd has played down his side’s chances of winning the FA Cup this season.

Speaking before City face Notts County in a FA Cup fourth round replay on Sunday, Kidd said the quest for Wembley glory in May was wide open.

“I don’t think that the best team wins the FA Cup or a cup competition, you don’t have to be the best team to win it,” Kidd said.

“You can get lucky in the draw and on the day you can beat a team that is fancied.”

“That’s the beauty of the FA Cup. So I don’t that the best team wins the FA Cup. You can have a good draw, be lucky on the day you played your match and win it.”

City reached the fifth round last season but have not got to the quarter-finals since 2007.

Notts County, meanwhile, are bidding to reach the fifth round again after losing 3-1 at that stage last season to Stoke City in a replay.

Kidd also heaped praise on Notts County manager Paul Ince.

“I think he is very knowledgeable Ince, very passionate as he was as a player,” Kidd said.

“You can see him on the touchline as well. I think he will do really well and I think with the experience he had at Blackburn, he will be stronger for it and it will be great experience for him.”

Kidd said the only serious injury was to defensive midfielder Nigel de Jong.

“Nigel [de Jong] obviously we are looking at him and his ankle. That’s about it really.”

“James has had a little bit of a tight hamstring, James Milner.”

“Mario [Balotelli] is doing well, he trained this week and he trained last week. He’s looking good in training.”

Kidd is also expecting great things from Edin Dzeko once he settled in fully at Eastlands.

“Well I think that Edin [Dzeko] has come into the side in January and in an ideal world it would have been great if we could have got him in the summer.”

“You know Edin can bed in, he has a different philosophy, different team-mates and maybe different systems, patterns of play, whatever.”

“There is no doubt about it that the lad is a great talent. He’s a fantastic talent.”

The winner will meet Aston Villa at home in the fifth round.