FA Cup Quarter-finals: Preview and Prediction

Eight teams will attempt to book their spot at Wembley Stadium connected by EE when the Emirates FA Cup reaches the quarter-final stage this weekend.

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Coventry City - SATURDAY, 16TH MARCH. 13:15

Wolves are unbeaten in their last five home games against Coventry in all competitions (W3 D2), with this the first such meeting since a 1-1 draw in League One in October 2013.

This is the first FA Cup meeting between Wolves and Coventry since the 1983-84 third round, with the Sky Blues progressing following a 3-0 win in a second replay.

Wolves have progressed from two of their last three FA Cup quarter-final ties, most recently a 2-1 win over Manchester United in 2018-19.

Coventry have progressed from just one of their previous seven FA Cup quarter-final ties, doing so in 1986-87 en route to winning the trophy. This is their first appearance at this stage of the competition since a 2-0 loss to Chelsea in 2008-09.

Wolves have won their last five FA Cup ties against sides from a lower division. They were last eliminated by a lower-ranked side in 2012-13, going out to non-league Luton Town.

Coventry are the top scorers in the FA Cup this season from the first round onwards with 16 goals. It’s the joint-most they’ve ever scored in a single campaign, level with 1962-63.

Ellis Simms scored a hat-trick in the fifth round – his first-ever FA Cup goals, and is the first Coventry player to score an FA Cup treble since Darren Huckerby against Macclesfield Town in January 1999.

Kasey Palmer has been involved in seven goals in his five FA Cup appearances for Coventry City, scoring three and assisting four. No player remaining in the competition has been involved in more goals this term than Palmer (5 – 2 goals, 3 assists).

PREDICTION: WOLVES TO WIN @1.65

Manchester City v Newcastle United: SATURDAY, 16TH MARCH 18:30

This is the first FA Cup meeting between Manchester City and Newcastle since the 2019-20 quarter-final, with the Citizens winning 2-0 at St James’ Park.

Newcastle have lost 15 of their last 16 away games against Manchester City in all competitions, including the last nine in a row. The exception was a 2-0 League Cup victory in October 2014.

Manchester City have progressed from their last six FA Cup quarter-final ties, since losing to Wigan in 2013-14. They’ve won at this stage in each of the last five seasons and could become the first team in FA Cup history to reach the semi-finals in six consecutive campaigns.

Newcastle are looking to reach the FA Cup semi-final for the first time since 2004-05, going out at this stage of the competition twice since then (2005-06 and 2019-20).

Manchester City were eliminated by Newcastle from this season’s League Cup – the last team to knock them out of both domestic cup competitions in the same campaign were Tottenham Hotspur in 1992-93.

Newcastle eliminated League Cup holders Manchester United from that competition this season. The last team to knock out both the League Cup and FA Cup holders from those respective competitions in the same campaign were Wimbledon in 1996-97.

Since the start of last season, only Paul Mullin (9) has scored more goals in the FA Cup proper than Man City’s Erling Haaland (8). Haaland’s eight goals have been scored in just two different games, netting a hat-trick against Burnley in last season’s quarter-final, and a five-goal haul against Luton in the last round this year.

After scoring four goals in his first five FA Cup appearances for Newcastle, Miguel Almirón has now failed to find the net in each of his last six in the competition. He has, however, provided an assist for the Magpies in each of his last two games.

PREDICTION: MANCHESTER CITY TO WIN @1.25, ERLING HAALAND TO SCORE @1.60

Chelsea v Leicester City: SUNDAY 17TH MARCH 13:45

Chelsea have progressed from seven of their eight FA Cup ties against Leicester, though the exception was a 1-0 defeat in the most recent meeting in the 2021 final.

Leicester have won just one of their last 13 away games against Chelsea in all competitions (D4 L8), beating them 1-0 in the Premier League in December 2018.

Chelsea have won their last five FA Cup quarter-final ties, since losing to Everton in 2015-16. The Blues have reached the semi-final of the competition in five of the last seven campaigns.

Leicester have lost five of their last six FA Cup quarter-final ties, though the exception was their most recent one in 2020-21 en route to lifting the trophy.

Chelsea have lost just one of their last 21 home games in the FA Cup (W18 D2), losing 2-0 to Manchester United in the fifth round in 2018-19.

Leicester have won seven of their last eight away FA Cup matches (L1), including the last four. They last won five consecutive away games in the competition between 1963 and 1965.

Raheem Sterling has scored four goals in his last two appearances against Leicester in all competitions, including a brace for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in August 2022 – his first goals for the Blues.

All seven of Leicester’s FA Cup goals this season have been scored by different players, with only six clubs having more scorers in the competition this season.

PREDICTION: CHELSEA TO WIN @1.45

Manchester United v Liverpool: SUNDAY 17TH MARCH 16:30

This will be the 15th different campaign in which Manchester United and Liverpool have met in the FA Cup, with the Red Devils progressing ten times to Liverpool’s four. Only Everton and Liverpool (19) will have met in more different ties in the competition’s history.

Manchester United won their last home game against Liverpool in all competitions, beating them 2-1 in the Premier League last season. They last won consecutively against the Reds at Old Trafford in September 2015.

Liverpool lost their last FA Cup encounter with Manchester United 3-2 in January 2021. Overall they’ve been eliminated by the Red Devils ten times from the competition, more than they have against any other opponent.

Manchester United have failed to score in six of their last nine meetings with Liverpool in all competitions, including the last two. They’ve not gone three in a row without a goal against the Reds since May 1977.

This is Manchester United’s 48th appearance in the FA Cup quarter-final, more than any other side in the history of the competition. They’ve alternated between elimination (4) and progression (4) in their last eight such ties and are looking to reach the semi-final in consecutive campaigns for the first time since 2003-04/2004-05.

Liverpool have progressed from 17 of their last 18 FA Cup quarter-final ties, failing only with a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham in 1994-95 in this run.

Bruno Fernandes has been involved in six goals in his last six FA Cup appearances for Manchester United, scoring five and assisting one.

Liverpool have had eight different goalscorers in the FA Cup this season, last having more in a single campaign (excluding own goals) in 2011-12 (9).

PREDICTION: OVER 2.5 GOALS @1.53