Manchester City vs Liverpool
Manchester City beat Arsenal in the EFL Cup final during the final game before the international break. This Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s team can take a step closer to completing a domestic double by defeating Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-final at the Etihad Stadium.
While clashes against Liverpool may have filled Guardiola with dread during recent campaigns, the Catalan, who has beaten Arne Slot’s team twice this campaign already, has reason to feel confident about this weekend’s clash.
Liverpool began the campaign as title favourites, but with several weeks remaining, Slot’s team are scrambling for a place in the top five.
Despite their poor league form, Liverpool have looked like a different team in cup competitions. During the 5th round, Liverpool convincingly beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 and produced one of their most complete performances of the season by beating Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 in the fourth round.
Liverpool have been impressive during the Champions League, reaching the tournament’s last eight, where they’ll face Paris Saint-Germain next week. The trip to PSG could be Liverpool’s defining moment this campaign, and Slot may rest several key players for the FA Cup.
In their place, Rio Ngumoha, a dazzling 17-year-old winger among the biggest breakthrough stars of the season, may be awarded a start to manage the minutes of Liverpool’s first-choice attackers.
Meanwhile, full-back Jeremie Frimpong may miss the match after withdrawing from the Netherlands’ mid-week friendly with injury.
Mohamed Salah missed Liverpool’s previous Premier League game against Brighton; the fitness status of the soon-departing winger will be assessed ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup quarter-final.
£125m striker Alexander Isak has returned to training, but the Swede is unlikely to feature against City.
The hosts have injury concerns of their own; John Stones pulled out of England’s training camp due to a thigh injury, Ruben Dias suffered a knock during City’s defeat to Real Madrid, while Josko Gvardiol remains unavailable due to a tibial fracture.
With or without injuries, neither City nor Liverpool are currently as mesmerising as they were between 2017 and 2025, when the two clubs almost annually battled for the title.
But both teams can still achieve doubles this season, and the importance of the FA Cup quarter-final won’t be downplayed by either fanbase.
With City’s superior form and Liverpool’s Champions League distraction, the hosts can be backed with bet365 at ¾ (1.75), while the visitors are priced at 3/1 (4.00).
Written by Euan Walsh