The Big Boys Avoid Each Other In This Weekend’s FA Cup Quarter Finals

The FA Cup Quarter Finals take centre stage in England this weekend with eight teams remaining in the competition seeking a place in the semi-finals at Wembley in April.

Six of those are from the Premier League with two teams from the Championship making up the numbers and once again, all the big boys that remain in the competition, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea have managed to avoid each other in the draw.

Last season’s final saw Leicester City beat Chelsea to claim the trophy and the Londoners will be keen to go one better this season, especially after all the unrest at the club over the last couple of weeks.

However both Manchester City and Liverpool have their eye on three more trophies this season, while the other teams will be hoping to upset the applecart and earn a surprise win in the tournament.

Outlined below is our preview for each of the four games and all odds provided are from bet365 Sport and were correct at the time of writing, however they may have changed in the time that has passed since.

Let’s now take a look at how the quarterfinals are shaping up.

FA Cup Quarter Finals

Middlesbrough v Chelsea

• Live On – BBC One (5.15pm – Saturday 19^th March)
• Venue – Riverside Stadium
• Match Result Odds – Middlesbrough 13/2, Chelsea 4/9, Draw 10/3
• League Position – Middlesbrough 8^th in the Championship, Chelsea 3^rd in the Premier League
• FA Cup Wins – Middlesbrough 0 (1xRunner Up), Chelsea 8 (7xRunners Up)
• All Time Record (All Games) – Middlesbrough 31 wins, Chelsea 56 wins, 29 Draws

How They Reached The Quarter Finals

• Middlesbrough

3^rd Round – v Mansfield (A) W 3-2 (Ikpeazu 4, Boyd-Munce 14, Hewitt 90 OG)

4^th Round – v Man Utd (A) D 1-1 AET (Crooks 64) – Won 8-7 on penalties

5^th Round – v Tottenham (H) W 1-0 AET (Coburn 107)

• Chelsea

3^rd Round – v Chesterfield (H) – W 5-1 (Werner 6, Hudson-Odoi 18, Lukaku 20, Christensen 39, Ziyech 55)

4^th Round – v Plymouth Argyle (H) – W 2-1 AET (Azpilicueta 41, Alonso 105)

5^th Round – v Luton Town (A) – W 3-2 (Saul 27, Werner 68, Lukaku 78)

Possible Teams

• Middlesbrough Possible XI – (3-5-2) – Lumley, Peltier, Fry, McNair, Jones, Crooks,  Howson, Tavernier, Taylor, Balogun, Connolly
• Chelsea Possible XI – (3-4-3) – Kepa, Rudiger, Sarr, Chalobah, Hudson-Odoi, Kenedy, Saul, Kovacic, Mount, Lukaku, Pulisic

Game Preview And Tips

Could Middlesbrough create another huge shock after knocking out Spurs and Man Utd from this competition? They will certainly give Chelsea a game here and the Londoners are going to have to be at their best to land the win, however I think Tuchel’s men will do that. Take Chelsea to win 3-1 at 11/1.

Crystal Palace v Everton

• Live On – ITV (12.30pm, Sunday 20^th March)
• Venue – Selhurst Park
• Match Result Odds – Crystal Palace 23/20, Everton 12/5, Draw 12/5
• League Position – Crystal Palace 11^th, Everton 17^th both in the Premier League
• FA Cup Wins – Crystal Palace 0 (2xRunners Up), Everton 5 (8xRunners Up)
• All Time Record (All Games) – Crystal Palace 14 wins, Everton 22 Wins, 18 Draws

How They Reached The Quarter Finals

• Crystal Palace

3^rd Round – v Millwall (A) – W 2-1 (Olise 46, Mateta 58)

4^th Round – v Hartlepool Utd (H) – W 2-0 (Guehi 4, Olise 22)

5^th Round – v Stoke City (H) W 2-1 (Kouyate 53, Riedewald 82)

• Everton

3^rd Round – v Hull City (A) W 3-2 AET (Gray 21, Gomes 31, Townsend 99)

4^th Round – v Brentford (H) W 4-1 (Mina 31, Richarlison 48, Holgate 62, Townsend 90)

5^th Round – v Boreham Wood (H) W 2-0 (Rondon 57,84)

Possible Teams

• Crystal Palace Possible XI – (4-2-3-1) – Guaita, Clyne, Kouyate, Guehi, Mitchell, Gallagher, Olise, McArthur, Hughes, Zaha, Mateta
• Everton Possible XI – (3-4-3) – Pickford, Patterson, Keane, Holgate, Godfrey, Mykolenko, Allen Doucoure, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin, Townsend

Game Preview And Tips

Both these sides will know that their fans would dearly love a trip to Wembley and both will feel an FA Cup Semi Final would boost their league form too. Everton’s situation in the league is more worrisome and I think that may mean their focus is not quite fully on this game, so I am backing Palace to win this one 1-0 at 6/1.

Southampton v Manchester City

• Live On – BBC One (3.00pm, Sunday 20^th March)
• Venue – St. Mary’s Stadium
• Match Result Odds – Southampton 8/1, Man City 3/10, Draw 19/4
• League Position – Southampton 10^th, Man City 1^st both in the Premier League
• FA Cup Wins – Southampton 1 (3xRunners Up), Man City 6 (5xRunners Up)
• All Time Record (All Games) – Southampton 32 wins, Man City 38 Wins, 27 Draws

How They Reached The Quarter Finals

• Southampton

3^rd Round – v Swansea City (A) W 3-2 AET (Redmond 8, Elyounoussi 95, Long 102)

4^th Round – v Coventry City (H) W 2-1 AET (Armstrong 63, Walker-Peters 112)

5^th Round – v West Ham (H) W 3-1 (Perraud 31, Ward Prowse 69(p), Broja 90)

• Manchester City

3^rd Round – v Swindon Town (A) W 4-1 (Silva 14, Jesus 28, Gundogan 59, Palmer 82)

4^th Round – v Fulham (H) W 4-1 (Gundogan 6, Stones 13, Mahrez 53(p), 57)

5^th Round – v Peterborough Utd (A) W 2-0 (Mahrez 60, Grealish 67)

Possible Teams

• Southampton Possible XI – (4-4-2) – Forster, Walker-Peters, Livramento, Salisu, Bednarek, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Armstrong, Djenepo, Adams, Broja.
• Manchester City Possible XI – (4-3-3) – Ederson, Cancelo, Zinchenko, Stones, Laporte, Gundogan, Grealish, Rodri, Foden, Sterling, Jesus

Game Preview And Tips

Southampton have drawn both their games with Manchester City this season and with City still interested in three major trophies, I can see Pep Guardiola using his squad depth here. That may help the Saints but I think City will do just enough to clinch the win in normal time. Take City to win 2-1 at 8/1.

Nottingham Forest v Liverpool

• Live On – ITV (6.00pm, Sunday 20^th March)
• Venue – City Ground
• Match Result Odds – Nottingham Forest 10/1, Liverpool 1/4, Draw 5/1
• League Position– Nottm Forest 9^th in the Championship, Liverpool 2^nd in the Premier League.
• FA Cup Wins – Nottm Forest 2 (1xRunners Up), Liverpool 7 (7xRunners Up)
• All Time Record (All Games) – Nottm Forest 30 Wins, Liverpool 56 Wins, 29 Draws

How They Reached The Quarter Finals

• Nottingham Forest

3^rd Round – v Arsenal (H) W 1-0 (Grabban 83)

4^th Round – v Leicester City (H) W 4-1 (Zinckernagel 23, Johnson 24, Worrall 32, Spence 61)

5^th Round – v Huddersfield Town (H) W 2-1 (Surridge 29, Yates 37)

• Liverpool

3^rd Round – v Shrewsbury Town (H) W 4-1 (Gordon 34, Fabinho 44(p),90, Firmino 78)

4^th Round – v Cardiff City (H) W 3-1 (Jota 53, Minamino 68, Elliott 76)

5^th Round – v Norwich City (H) W 2-1 (Minamino 27,39)

Possible XI

• Nottingham Forest Possible XI – (3-4-1-2) – Horvath, Worrall, Cook, McKenna, Spence, Lowe, Yates, Garner, Zinckernagel, Johnson, Surridge
• Liverpool Possible XI – (4-3-3) – Kelleher, Gomes, Tsimikas, Konate, Van Dijk, Henderson, Oxlade Chamberlain, Jones, Jota, Mane, Minamino

Game Preview And Tips

With Liverpool still challenging on three fronts after winning the Carabao Cup, I expect Jurgen Klopp to rotate his team for this one, but still putting out a side well capable of landing the win. Forest won’t fear Liverpool after beating Arsenal and Leicester at home, but I feel the visitors will be too strong here. Take Liverpool to win 2-0 at 6/1.