Manchester City vs. Middlesbrough: Issues That'll Shape FA Cup Game

Whatever excuses Manchester City may want to use in the coming weeks, fixture congestion had best not be one of them.

Because City just gave away a valuable pocket of rest in their schedule with yesterday's exertions.

"Manchester City (faced) Hamburg in a specially-arranged midweek friendly at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi," wrote Luke Augustus for the Daily Mail. "City emerged 2-0 victors in a rather awkward-feeling fixture against Hamburg."

Gee, why would a midweek trip to Abu Dhabi in January, in the middle of a Premier League title race, feel awkward?

Although, given City's recent Premier League form, maybe any win is a good win.

City now turn their attention to a fourth-round FA Cup clash with Middlesbrough at the Etihad. Here are some issues and decisions that will impact this FA Cup match.

Manchester City Get Another Home Date from the FA Cup Draw

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City tried pretty hard to screw up their third-round FA Cup match with Sheffield Wednesday

The FA Cup is not the trophy Manchester City desire most, but at least so far in the tournament City have not been inconvenienced in their pursuit of it.

"City will host Championship side Middlesbrough in the fourth round of the FA Cup," wrote Samuel Luckhurst for the Manchester Evening News. "After dismissing fellow tier-two side Sheffield Wednesday...City have received another favourable draw as they bid to regain the cup after their 2011 win."

With Southampton hosting Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur facing Leicester, the Sky Blues should feel fortunate to have another Championship opponent making the journey to Eastlands.

It's a lot easier than going to Abu Dhabi.

But Middlesbrough Are No Pushover These Days

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Leadbitter and Boro have surged up the Championship table.

It has been a while since Middlesbrough were a Premier League side, but it may not be long before they find themselves back in the top flight.

"Patrick Bamford and Lee Tomlin scored the goals as Middlesbrough rose to second in the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-1 win over Cardiff," noted a recent PA Sport report (h/t ESPNFC.com).

There is also that unpleasant bit (from City's perspective, anyway) about one of the last times City and Boro met in the Premier League.

City lost that May 2008 match 8-1, and the scoreline may have been flattering. To City.

"City were torn apart by Boro who, without some excellent saves from visiting keeper Andreas Isaksson, would have reached double figures at a canter," wrote Chris Bevan for BBC Sport at the time.

Which City Will Show Up Against Middlesbrough?

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Newcastle blew City right out of the Capital One Cup at the Etihad earlier this season.

Manchester City's fourth-round FA Cup match with Middlesbrough is a fine opportunity for City to decide whether they are serious about winning a trophy that is not awarded by the Premier League or by UEFA.

City's defense of their Premier League title is again on something like life support after drawing with Everton and losing miserably to Arsenal. But they have yet to inflict any damage on their Champions League knockout round tie with Barcelona.

Which is to say that, despite City's recent struggles, they still have significant prizes to play for. Prizes that the FA Cup just does not rank with.

City have already shown a desultory side in cup play this season, tepidly falling out of the League Cup to a mediocre Newcastle United side at the Etihad. And they were all but out of this FA Cup competition until the now-disgruntled James Milner, per Stuart James of The Guardian, sent them through with his brace against Sheffield Wednesday.

The bottom line here is that a properly motivated City should not have any trouble beating Middlesbrough at the Etihad. But City's motivation in cup matches, unfortunately, is fairly in question.

City's Friendly with Hamburg May Have Come at a Significant Cost

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Lampard just cannot stay out of the news these days.

In case you are tired of hearing about Frank Lampard's contractual saga with New York City FC, we have some good news for you—there is news on Lampard that is not contract-related.

Unfortunately for Manchester City fans, it is not good news.

"Frank Lampard suffered an injury scare as Manchester City chalked up a 2-0 friendly win over Hamburg in Abu Dhabi," wrote Stuart Brennan in the Manchester Evening News. "The midfielder came off after 20 minutes of the game...and is thought to have a hip problem."

For a City side already missing Yaya Toure to Africa Cup of Nations duty and Samir Nasri to a calf injury, any time Lampard misses will be a serious problem.

And if Lampard ends up unavailable for Champions League duty from this injury, that will be one expensive friendly win for City.

Regardless, it is hard to imagine Lampard featuring against Middlesbrough.

At Least City's Strikers Not Named "Aguero" Appear to Be Waking Up

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AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JANUARY 21: Edin Dzeko of Manchester City competes for the ball with Rajkovic Slobodan of Hamburg during the friendly match between Hamburg SV and Manchester City at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on January 21, 2015 in Al Ain, U

So poor have Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic been in support of fellow striker Sergio Aguero this season that Manchester City had to strain their Financial Fair Play-limited budget on buying a fourth striker.

But while Wilfried Bony is City property, he is still not going to be available to play for City for a while, and it is hard to imagine Bony leaping straight into the XI anyway.

In the meantime, Dzeko and Jovetic need to find their scoring touch in matches that matter. Both men found the net against Hamburg in the midweek friendly.

"Goals from Stevan Jovetic and Edin Dzeko sealed a comfortable win for Manchester City over Hamburg in Abu Dhabi," wrote Tom Maston for Goal.com.

It's a start.