Preston North End's Tom Barkhuizen knows the challenge that the team will face when Premier League champions Manchester City come to Deepdale on Tuesday night, but he insists the squad will be giving everything to cause a cup upset.
The Premier League giants are the current holders of the Carabao Cup and visit Deepdale in the third round of the competition on Tuesday night, but speaking to iFollow PNE ahead of the game, Barkhuizen believes anything is possible on the night but is aware of the huge task ahead.
"It's one that we are all looking forward to, we are not going in to the game thinking we are going to lose, we know it's going to be a difficult game, we are all realistic." He told the club's video channel. "They are one of the top three teams in the world but we go in to every game thinking we can win and it will be the same again.
"It's going to be difficult, we have all acknowledged that, but it's 11 against 11 and strange things happen in the cup.
"We are certainly not going in to the game saying that we are going to lose, we are going to give everything we've got and if that's not enough then that's not enough and they are the better team."
Pep Guardiola's side come in to the game off the back of an 8-0 win over Watford on Saturday afternoon, and PNE's No.29 knows North End will need to be at the very top of their game in order to get a result.
"You kind of hope that they turn up and take their foot off the gas and they think it's going to be an easy game but we've shown, especially this season at home, that we are really strong.
"We are certainly going in to the game thinking we have got a chance of winning and hopefully by Tuesday night we do, but at the end of the day they are a world class team and we are realistic in that it is going to be really difficult and we will have to put in an unbelievable performance to get something, but it's something we are capable of doing."
With a full house expected on Tuesday night, the 26-year-old is hoping that the side can do enough to try to tempt back supporters who may not attend as regularly, something he feels the squad's recent form is deserving of.
"If you are going to support Preston North End why aren't you coming to support us now? We are third in the league, one point off the top, having the best start we've had to a season for a long time I am guessing, so why wouldn't you come down?
"The football that we play isn't dinosaur football, we mix it up, we like to play out from the back. It does get a little bit frustrating when you look around and there are so many empty seats but I don't think there is much else that we can do as a team. We are giving everything we've got for this club and we are putting in good performances so hopefully on Tuesday night there are a few who turn around and say they will come at the weekend and keep coming."
North End head in to the game sitting third in the Championship ahead of the weekend's league fixtures, and Barkhuizen is hoping the Lilywhites can build on the positive start to the season.
"I think it just shows how hard we are working and we are where we are, there is just a really good feeling around the dressing room after starting as well as we have, especially compared to last year and hopefully we can keep it going.
"Last season, when we got around that middle period where we were moving up the table and winning a lot of games, it was a case of 'if only we hadn't started so badly'.
"So now it is just a nice feeling to be up there and to have started well and got points on the board and we will keep working hard to keep that going.
"I think we are one of the top scorers in the league, our defensive record is really good, we are working hard every day and we want to keep going."
Watch the full interview on iFollow PNE now by clicking on the video above.