The FA Cup quarter-finals will take place this weekend as the road to the Wembley final continues.
The FA Cup quarter-finals will take place this weekend as the road to the Wembley final continues.
Chelsea travel to Middlesbrough on Saturday evening in the first of the last-eight ties, while three games will be played on Sunday, as Everton take on Crystal Palace, Manchester City travel to Southampton and Liverpool visit Nottingham Forest.
Saturday 19 March
6/1 Middlesbrough | Draw 37/10 | Chelsea 4/10 (19:15)
Chelsea will be hoping to avoid becoming another scalp when they travel to the Riverside Stadium to face Middlesbrough.
Tottenham and Manchester United have already felt the giant-killing wrath of Chris Wilder’s side and the Blues will be hoping to avoid the same fate as Thomas Tuchel targets more silverware. Boro have been very inconsistent over the last few weeks, but their home form has been impeccable with eight straight victories at the Riverside in the Championship.
As for Chelsea, despite their current issues, are enjoying their longest winning streak in the Premier League this season. The Champions League holders should prove too strong here.
Sunday 20 March
12/10 Crystal Palace | Draw 23/10 | Everton 23/10 (14:30)
Crystal Palace will be confident of progressing to the semis when they face strugglers Everton. Patrick Vieira’s side are in good form and will try to keep their momentum going.
As for Everton, not much has changed since Frank Lampard took over the team, so avoiding relegation from the Premier League might be a more important aim for the club. Palace ran out 3-1 winners when they last faced the Blues back in December and after their impressive performance against Manchester City, Vieira’s side gives me confidence they will seal their passage to the last four.
9/1 Southampton | Draw 48/10 | Manchester City 2/7 (17:00)
Manchester City are the favourites to lift the trophy as Pep Guardiola’s side target a historic treble this season. The Citizens are the most recent winners of the FA Cup still in the competition, lifting the trophy in 2019 after thrashing Watford 6-0 at Wembley.
City will be confident heading into this game, especially as Southampton have lost three in a row. However, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side tend to bring their A-game against the top teams and beating them at St Mary’s won’t be an easy task. I think it will be a very close affair but Guardiola’s team should still book their semi-final spot. But with very little value on a straight win, I suggest taking City to win and under 3.5 goals at 11/10.
9/1 Nottingham Forest | Draw 5/1 | Liverpool 1/4 (20:00)
Nottingham Forest have already knocked Arsenal and holders Leicester City out of this year’s competition, but Jurgen Klopp’s quadruple-chasing Reds will no doubt present their biggest stumbling block.
Liverpool have shown that they will not take any tournament lightly and the way they have been playing, creating the amount of chances per game that they do, Forest shouldn’t be able to withstand. My money is on Liverpool to win and over 3.5 goals at 16/10.
QUAD @ 16/1
Chelsea Win 4/10
Crystal Palace Win 12/10
Man City & Under 3.5 Goals 11/10
Liverpool & Over 3.5 Goals 16/10
