Flynn keeps his focus on league matters as Man City loom large

NEWPORT County prepare for their crunch FA Cup fifth-round clash with Manchester City by hosting MK Dons tonight (7.45pm).

By the time the Premier League champions turn up at Rodney Parade, the Exiles will have played three games in a week following last Saturday’s 1-0 win over Mansfield Town.

Despite the enormity of this Saturday’s tie with Pep Guardiola’s City, Flynn insists his immediate focus is on League Two matters, with his side just eight points off the play-off places.

County have a game in hand on their top-six rivals and Flynn said: “I might have to freshen it up.

“If we’ve got to make a few changes, we’ve got to make a few changes, but I want to win on Tuesday. What better feeling going into the Man City game than winning three in a row?

“That would be a good starting block to play the Premier League champions. I have got options and you can’t keep playing the same team, especially when the grounds get heavy.

“It’s relentless. Whoever comes in has got to do the business. The boys have done that lately.”

Newport are set to be boosted by the return to fitness of Adebayo Azeez, Harry McKirdy and Fraser Franks for their meeting with the Dons. Flynn knows his men will have to be at their best to win.

“MK Dons are a very good side and we will have to be at our very best to beat them,” he said.

“But we are playing very good football at the moment. Similar to Mansfield, MK have one of the biggest budgets in League Two, but I know they won’t enjoy coming to play at Rodney Parade.”

One man who is in form for County is Robbie Willmott. He scored the winner against Mansfield while he also found the back of the net against Middlesbrough.

Newport’s Rodney Parade ground has come in for some criticism due to its deteriorating playing surface, but Willmott insists it will not stop his side from playing good football.

“The pitch is only going to get worse with the weather we are having,” he said.

“But the ground staff have been excellent. We are a side who want to play good football because we’ve got some amazing talent at this club.

“It’s probably the strongest side I’ve been involved in since I’ve been at Newport County. It’s amazing times for this football club and I think everybody has got to sit back and enjoy it.

“It’s obviously hard to not think about the game against Man City, but the players we’ve just got to concentrate on MK Dons. It’s going to be another tough game and they are another strong contender for promotion.

“But Mansfield are also a strong contenders for promotion and we’ll take a lot of belief out of our performance against them.”