Plymouth Argyle's Emirates FA Cup fifth round tie against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday has captured the imagination of players and supporters alike.

It is especially exciting for Darko Gyabi, though, because of his past connections with the defending Premier League champions. The London-born midfielder joined City's academy from Millwall as a 14-year-old.

Gyabi did not break into the senior squad at City before leaving for Leeds United in the summer of 2022, but he did play four times for their under-21s' sides in the EFL Trophy.

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He started one of those games, which was a 2-1 defeat away to Doncaster Rovers in September 2021. Among City's unused substitutes that night were Rico Lewis and Nico O'Reilly, who both could be in the squad to face Argyle this weekend.

Gyabi said about his City reunion: "It's going to be good, it's exciting. Not just for me on a personal note but for the club and all the other players as well. It's another big step for us."

While Gyabi did not play for City at first team level he still got a good insight into that world. He said: "I just remember playing with some of the best young players in the country and then training with the first team as well. It was good to be in that environment and improve. It was really good.

"Sometimes with the (under) 23s you would be called up to train with the first team and then you would get the opportunity to see the star names and how they work.

"It was really helpful to pick up those things from those players, and just to see them doing what they do week in week out, up close and in the flesh."

Argyle will have around 8,000 of the travelling Green Army supporting them at the Etihad Stadium so it should be a terrific occasion. Gyabi said: "I have played there with the (City) 21s before. There was a crowd there as well but it was obviously not as much as there will be when we play them. It's going to be exciting and something to look forward to definitely."

The Pilgrims have surprised the football world by beating two Premier League sides to reach the last 16 of the FA Cup. Their 1-0 win at Brentford was a shock result but nothing compared to their 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Home Park on February 9.

Gyabi said: "That was amazing. You could see at the full-time whistle how excited and happy everyone was. There was a real togetherness, not just the players on the pitch but from the fans.

"Even going home, seeing the fans around and people speaking to you. I could feel it was really big for the club and for Plymouth in general."

By beating Brentford and Liverpool, Argyle have reached the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time since the 2006/07 season, when they made it through to the quarter-finals before losing 1-0 to Watford at Home Park.

Gyabi said: "Obviously people didn't expect us to be doing what we are doing but it's football. On the day, on the pitch, anything can happen. That's the mentality we have been going into those games with."

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