City Watch: FA Cup represents City's last chance of silverware

International breaks are always a worry. Will players return injury free and will their time playing for their country affect their general well-being? The first game back after an international break can be difficult.

As City are facing Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter final, we’ve got to hope that all players return fit and ready for what is an important game.

The FA Cup offers City a chance of trophy success in what has been a difficult season. Difficult? Well, in comparison with most of the last decade it’s been difficult but of course, any City fan can tell you of seasons that have been much more ‘difficult’. Challenging for a Champions League place and playing in a FA Cup quarter final is considerably better than most other clubs! Expectation is high these days though.

What this season has shown is that winning four consecutive Premier League titles - while achieving all the other successes that have come City’s way in the last few years - is remarkable. No other side has achieved that feat ever.

Much was made of Liverpool under Klopp challenging City and how it was impossible for the Merseysiders to apply so much effort year after year without something giving along the way, but what about the team that actually achieved all that success?

Little was said about the effort and drive needed game after game, year after year, to keep up such high levels at City. So, let’s all stand back and recognise how significant the four-in-a-row league titles were. Let’s encourage the wider football world to applaud the Blues for all they’ve done in the most competitive league in the world, not what they’ve not done.

No team has achieved what City has ever. Hopefully City will beat Bournemouth in this weekend’s FA Cup tie and continue to the semi-final and then the final. Whether they do or they don’t some will continue to say it’s been a poor season. That may be true in comparison with recent years and the demands City place on themselves, but in terms of history at EVERY club then is it really?

Understandably, the FA Cup has become more important this season to fans than perhaps in recent years. For fans of a certain age, playing Bournemouth adds a level of nervousness. Some of us remember only too well going 3-0 up against them in a crucial promotion game only for Bournemouth to fight back to make it 3-3. It made the final game of the season a do-or-die promotion battle at Bradford.

That season, 1988-89, City did what they needed to do on the final day to earn promotion (but even then it didn’t go entirely to plan!). Playing Bournemouth this weekend in a crucial FA Cup game is a nice reminder that this season may feel depressing at times but it’s nowhere near as desperate as it felt when the sides met in 1989.

Perspective is always needed in football. City still have a chance of major trophy success. Fingers crossed they still have that chance after Bournemouth.