COUNTDOWN TO CITY: Peterborough United manager insists his side should not be scared of Manchester City: ‘Embrace the challenge of playing against one of the best teams in the world’

Obviously McCann has full respect for one of the best sides in the world and he accepts Posh are in for a ‘very, very difficult game,’ but he wants his players to relish rather than fear a game that will be televised live on ITV.

On the surface it’s a daunting prospect as Posh have won just one of their last 19 Championship matches. They went down 3-0 at home to Hull City in McCann’s first game back in charge on Saturday.

McCann said: “It’s an amazing game to be part of for the club and the players. We’re playing against one of the best teams in the world. The boys are excited about it and they should go out and embrace the challenge.

“I take myself back to when I was playing. It’s one of these games you think: ‘Well, it’s an opportunity to go and show everyone’.

“The game’s on TV. The stadium will be bouncing with a sellout crowd. It’s the chance to show what you’re about as footballers. There’s really nothing to be scared of.

“No one from the outside looking in will give us any sort of hope of winning the game. We will just play with a smile on our faces and see what happens.

“Obviously it’s a very, very difficult game for us. We will have to defend well, but when we get on the ball I want to see composure and some attacking intent from us. We will get forward when we can and see if we can hurt them We want to give a good account of ourselves.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how we adapt. We will need to show togetherness We will obviously have to play to a much better level than we did on Saturday, but it’s the FA Cup so anything can happen.”

Posh will be without Nathan Thompson, Jack Taylor and Joel Randall because of injury, while skipper Oliver Norburn is suspended and Callum Morton and Joe Taylor are cup-tied.

City could start with their £100 million signing, England midfielder Jack Grealish.