Manchester City v Liverpool is the first of three FA Cup quarter finals taking place on Saturday when Chelsea and Arsenal are also in action and we also take a look at Sunday’s clash between West Ham and Leeds.
Prices quoted are correct at the time of publication but subject to change.
Man City v Liverpool (Saturday)
City’s most recent action came in the EFL Cup final against Arsenal at Wembley and they picked up the first major piece of silverware of the season with a well deserved 2-0 win. Their FA Cup run started with a 10-1 hiding of Exeter in Manchester and they went on to beat Salford 2-0 in another home fixture before a 3-1 win at Newcastle put them into the last 8. City are no longer in the UCL but they are just alive in the title race, 9 points behind Arsenal but with a game in hand and the Gunners must still visit The Etihad.
Liverpool were 4-1 winners at home to Barnsley in the FA Cup third round and they went on to beat Brighton 3-0 in another home fixture before winning 3-1 at Wolves. Unlike City they did progress in the UCL and the first leg of their quarter final match up with PSG will take place in Paris on Wednesday. Liverpool are currently fifth in the EPL but with a number of teams on their heels in search of UCL qualification for next season.
The Verdict
City beat Liverpool in both league meetings this season, 3-0 in Manchester and 2-1 at Anfield and given they are out of the UCL they can go full gas at picking up another domestic cup.
Bets: To follow when team news becomes available
Chelsea v Port Vale (Saturday)
The way things have been going for Chelsea lately the FA Cup could well save their season. They have been knocking in the goals in this competition with wins at Charlton (5-1), Hull (4-0) and then Wrexham (4-2) although they needed extra time to see off the Welsh side. Since that win at Wrexham they have lost 4 on the spin, both legs of their UCL Round of 16 clash with PSG (lost 9-2 on aggregate) and league games at home to Newcastle (1-0) and away at Everton (3-0). Currently sixth in the EPL standings qualifying for the UCL next season is still very much a possibility for Chelsea but this competition is the only chance of domestic silverware.
Port Vale provided the shock of the Round of 16 when they bundled Sunderland out with a 1-0 home win. They were drawn at home in all of the rounds so far and started with a 5-1 win over Maldon & Tiptree in early November. They went on to see of Bristol Rovers, Fleetwood and Bristol City all by a 1-0 scoreline.
The Verdict
To follow
Bets: To follow when team news becomes available
Southampton v Arsenal (Saturday)
Southampton tuned Premier League opposition over in the Round of 16 when a late penalty gave them a 1-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage. Prior to that they won 3-2 at Doncaster and 2-1 at home to Leicester. The cup run has also had a positive affect on their Championship form and 9 wins and 3 draws in their last 12 league games has taken them from well below half way into the play off places, 8 points off an automatic promotion spot with 7 games to play.
The Gunners missed an opportunity to land a first trophy of the season in the 2-0 EFL Cup final defeat to Man City in what was their most recent outing. They are still contenders for 3 more trophies and their FA Cup run comprises of wins at Portsmouth (4-1), at home to Wigan (4-0) and away to Mansfield (2-1). Arsenal will be in UCL action on Tuesday when they travel to Lisbon for the first leg of their quarter final match up with Sporting and in the EPL they are 9 points clear of Man City in the title race having played a game more.
The Verdict
To follow
Bets: To follow when team news becomes available
West Ham v Leeds (Sunday)
On to Sunday’s match where West Ham are looking to build on wins in the earlier rounds at home to QPR (2-1), away to Burton (1-0) and at home to Brentford on spot kicks after a 2-2 draw.
Leeds have come up against 3 sides from the Championship and they have accounted for Derby with a 3-1 away win, Birmingham with a 2-1 win away from home and Norwich with a 3-0 victory at Elland Road.
The FA Cup is not the only competition on the minds of both these sides. In the EPL West Ham are currently in the drop zone, third from bottom, 1 point adrift of Spurs and 3 shy of Notts forest with 7 games o go.
As for Leeds they are fifteenth, 4 points better off than West Ham but they still have to return to this stadium for a league game at the end of the season.
The Verdict
To follow
Bets: To follow when team news becomes available
Note, odds are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change