MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City’s FA Cup tie against Salford City will not live long in the memory. The two teams produced a combined six shots on target on Saturday, City won 2-0 and there was no cup upset.
The most interesting thing that happened was two fans racing round the pitch in house costumes at halftime. Afterward, even Pep Guardiola called it “boring.”
It was forgettable, indeed. For everyone, that is, except for John Stones.
If Stones is going to have a successful second half of the season, he might end up looking back at this routine fourth-round fixture as the beginning. His path to the FIFA World Cup, and possibly a new City contract, starts with Salford.
It was Stones’ first start for nearly three months after recovering from a thigh injury. He will have far tougher tests than the one offered by Ryan Graydon, a 26-year-old striker who was playing in the League of Ireland as recently as 2023, but if Stones is going to secure a seat on England’s plane to North America and stay at the Etihad Stadium beyond the summer, then he has to start somewhere.
Guardiola wasn’t thrilled with his team’s performance — he called it “no good” until the second goal went in nine minutes from time — and in his eyes, the return of Stones was one of the only positives.
“He’s back,” said the City boss. “He still needs time. He’s not the John Stones that we knew, but that’s normal after more than two months [out]. His body language was really good.
“It’s normal that he had the tempo to fight the duels, it happened after more than two months injured but it’s important that he played 60 minutes. That’s good.”
For a player who has struggled to stay fit for the past 18 months, it was valuable time on the pitch. No doubt Thomas Tuchel has taken note.
The England boss isn’t blessed with many options at center back. Stones started the last World Cup qualifier against Albania in November alongside Dan Burn.
The squad also included Ezri Konsa, Jarell Quansah, Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Guéhi, now Stones’ teammate at City after joining from Crystal Palace in January for £20 million and scorer of the second goal against Salford. Harry Maguire is back in contention for the camp in March after forcing his way back into the team at Manchester United.
With 87 international appearances and experience at five major tournaments, though, Stones is still England’s senior man at the back. If he can prove his fitness, he’s likely to go to his third World Cup.
What’s more up in the air is his future at City.
Stones is out of contract in the summer, and Guardiola has raised the possibility that this season could be Stones’ last at the Etihad. He’s won everything since arriving in 2016, but his injury record is becoming a concern.
“I think what’s happened in the last two seasons will define the decision at the end of the season,” said Guardiola in October. “He’s been injured many times so that is why we have to wait and see.”
Stones has been central to what Guardiola has achieved at City.
A ball-playing center back was deemed so important to his style of play that the club were told to step up their pursuit while Guardiola was still at Bayern Munich. City were so keen to do the deal that when he arrived from Everton in the same summer as Guardiola, he became the second-most-expensive defender ever.
With 13 major trophies in 10 years, it’s been money well spent.
Sources have told ESPN that, right now, Stones is likely to leave at the end of the season. He hasn’t started a Premier League game since October and was restricted to just six league starts last season.
Given Guardiola’s bleak assessment of Stones’ chances of a new deal, the writing appears to be on the wall, but it wouldn’t be the first time he’s battled back from the brink.
Short of form and fitness at the end of the COVID-delayed 2019-20 season, he looked to be on his way out. Three years later, though, as City marched toward the treble, Stones was Guardiola’s main man.
It was the season City fans began singing “Johnny, Johnny Stones” to the tune of Boney M’s “Daddy Cool” in recognition of his impact, often playing in a hybrid role between defense and midfield. The song hasn’t had much of an airing in the past year and a half as Stones has struggled to make himself available.
Back on the pitch against Salford, it was the first tune that came drifting down from the stands after kickoff. The fans who belted it out had probably forgotten the game as soon as they got to their cars after the full-time whistle had blown.
Stones may remember it more fondly, particularly if it leads to the World Cup and a new contract.
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