Man City and Manchester United latest as sub-zero temperatures threaten FA Cup ties

Manchester City, Manchester United and Salford City supporters will all be keeping a close eye on the weather forecasts this weekend as sub-zero temperatures continue to hit the area.

According to the Met Office, temperatures hit well below freezing overnight as the cold snap in the North West led to schools being closed and icy conditions up and down the country. At 9am on Friday, temperatures were as low as -2C leading to the treacherous conditions for people's commutes.

The bad weather also presents elements of doubt for this weekend's FA Cup third round ties. The third round weekend is singled out among football fans in the UK as it is the moment when clubs from the Premier League and Championship enter the competition for the first time.

And there is plenty of FA Cup magic to go around in Greater Manchester this weekend. League Two and Class of '92-owned Salford City have made it to this stage of the competition for the very first time and have been rewarded with a glamour tie away at Manchester City.

With the match being held at the Etihad Stadium, there are concerns whether the weather in the city could lead to the match being postponed. Fortunately, that reality seems unlikely, as City's stadium benefits from undersoil heating, which should mean there are no issues with the playing surface.

However, hazardous conditions on the roads could prevent the match from going ahead despite the pitch being likely to pass an inspection. Temperatures are unlikely to rise to more than 2C between now and kick off at 5:45pm on Saturday afternoon.

But as things stand, there is no suggestion that the roads leading to the Etihad Stadium are in such a way that the game will be postponed. While there could be some reasonable doubts over City's game, United's match should go ahead without problems.

The Reds are in the capital to face Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, and while it is still cold in London, they have not had weather as bad as in Manchester. The Emirates Stadium hosted Carabao Cup action on Tuesday night without any lingering threat that the game would be postponed, so we should be guaranteed to see that FA Cup tie go ahead.

Meanwhile, tomorrow's Sky Bet League Two fixture between Carlisle United and MK Dons at Brunton Park has also been postponed, while Oldham Athletic's clash against Eastleigh has also fallen foul of the weather.