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Pep Guardiola has left nothing to chance as his team seeks to avoid one of the biggest FA Cup defeats of all time in Newport tomorrow night.
The Manchester City coach has revealed that he has prepared as he would for any other match.
And his team will be fully informed of the strengths and weaknesses of a team that has already eliminated the Premier League, Leicester and Championship contenders, Middlesbrough – and arrived just minutes from KO'ing Tottenham the season last.
There was no effort to prepare for the match, Guardiola having received a full scouting report for his last two games and looking at his two-sided cups himself.
"Normally, when we play in the Premier League, players know it, most of them, but they do not know the players," he said.
"They know a bit now – Bennett, Amond. They are incredible with the pieces stopped and the second balls, they use the channels and they are bigger and stronger than us.
"In some areas they are better than us and we have to use the area where we are stronger. We must see which team controls the game and brings its advantage.
"I saw the game against Leicester and Boro, a team of Tony Pulis at home, especially at the return match (replay), they were much better than Boro."
It is feared that City players will take Newport too lightly, especially in the middle of a series that has had huge league games against Arsenal, Everton and Chelsea and is followed by a crisis in the Champions League. in Schalke and the Carabao Cup.
But Guardiola has no doubt that his players will be mentally right for the game, especially after being eliminated from the competition by Wigan last season.
"They are ready, I have no doubt, I do not know the result, but I am sure that they will know it," said the city boss.
"It's not their first participation in a cup competition and they know it's always difficult, especially outside. If it was at home, it would be different.
"After 43 minutes at Wigan, Fabian Delph was sent off and we conceded a goal and in Burton, it was difficult – anything can happen.
"I saw my players focused and prepared. But the result? I do not know."
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The defeat of Wigan seems to have left his mark on Guardiola – he has already seen him abandon his usual policy of playing the second-choice goalkeeper in the Cups, and he has so far formed exceptionally strong teams .
And he added that a reminder about Wigan would likely be mentioned in his pre-game interview with the players: "I never felt our losses – they are in the past. It is today and we are going from the front.
"I'll tell them how great … Wigan was first in Ligue 1, they were in incredible condition and I think we played a good game there.
"Sometimes you arrive at the last moment and that happens. we were out and maybe we can go to the quarter-finals. "
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