Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 8/11
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Almost two weeks after lifting the EFL Cup, Manchester City return to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday lunchtime to face Liverpool in a blockbuster FA Cup quarter‑final.
The two familiar rivals meet again just under two months after their dramatic Premier League encounter at Anfield, where late goals from Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland sealed a 2–1 comeback victory for the Citizens.
Manchester City
City’s season threatened to unravel after falling nine points behind Arsenal in the Premier League and suffering Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid. However, Pep Guardiola’s side responded in emphatic fashion at Wembley, painting the national stadium sky blue as they claimed the EFL Cup with a deserved 2–0 victory over Arsenal.
Two second‑half headers from emerging talent Nico O’Reilly proved decisive, ensuring Guardiola avoids consecutive trophyless seasons. That success also took the Catalan’s managerial tally to 40 major honours—a remarkable milestone should his decade‑long reign at the Etihad conclude this summer.
While Premier League showdowns with Chelsea and Arsenal loom, City’s immediate focus is firmly on the FA Cup, where they aim to reach the semi‑finals for a record‑extending eighth consecutive season. Their record in the competition over the last four years is outstanding, with 19 wins from their last 21 matches, including a 3–1 victory over Newcastle United in the fifth round. The only blemishes in that period came in the 2024 and 2025 finals, where they fell to Manchester United and Crystal Palace respectively.
Home form in the FA Cup has been equally formidable. City have won 17 consecutive matches at the Etihad in the competition, a streak that dates back to January 2015 when Middlesbrough secured a 2–0 win. Victory over Liverpool would see Guardiola’s side surpass Clapham Rovers’ long‑standing record from the late 19th century to establish the longest home winning run in FA Cup history.
Team News
In terms of selection, Josko Gvardiol remains sidelined with a tibial fracture, while John Stones and Ruben Dias will undergo late fitness checks. Marc Guehi, unavailable for the EFL Cup final, is set to return and could partner Dias if fit, or link up with Abdukodir Khusanov or Nathan Aké. James Trafford is expected to start in goal ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma.
O’Reilly may continue at left‑back following his Wembley heroics, although Guardiola could opt to recall Rayan Aït‑Nouri and redeploy O’Reilly into midfield alongside Bernardo Silva and Rodri. Haaland is once again expected to lead the line; the Norwegian has registered two goals and an assist in his last two appearances against Liverpool and has scored nine times in 11 FA Cup matches. Antoine Semenyo may join him in attack.
Liverpool
Liverpool arrive in Manchester amid significant off‑field noise, with Saturday marking their first match since Mohamed Salah confirmed he will leave the club at the end of the season after nine illustrious years at Anfield. The 33‑year‑old missed the Reds’ 2–1 Premier League defeat to Brighton before the international break due to injury, and club legend Steven Gerrard has urged him not to depart “under a cloud” following a public fallout with head coach Arne Slot earlier in the campaign.
With at least 10 matches remaining across three competitions, Liverpool face a defining period. A top‑five Premier League finish remains a priority, but progress in both the FA Cup and Champions League could be decisive in shaping Slot’s long‑term future on Merseyside.
Before turning their attention to Paris Saint‑Germain in next week’s Champions League quarter‑final first leg, Liverpool must overcome a City side who have already completed a league double over them this season. Another City victory would make Guardiola’s men only the second team—after Crystal Palace—to defeat Liverpool three times in the same campaign.
The Reds suffered a heavy 3–0 defeat on their last visit to the Etihad in November, yet they can take encouragement from their FA Cup record in Manchester. Liverpool have won each of their last four away ties against City in the competition, dating back to victories in 1988, 2001, 2003 and 2022.
A 3–1 win at Wolves in the fifth round kept their cup hopes alive, and victory on Saturday would take Liverpool into the FA Cup semi‑finals for just the second time in 11 years—and the first since lifting the trophy under Jürgen Klopp in 2022.
Team News
Alisson Becker, Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo remain unavailable, while Jeremie Frimpong will be assessed after sustaining a problem during international duty. Alexander Isak has returned to training following a three‑month layoff with a broken leg, though the match may come too soon.
Hugo Ekitike is expected to lead the line regardless. Salah is reportedly “very close” to a return and believes he can feature on Saturday; if fit, he would aim to become the first Liverpool player since Emile Heskey in 2000–01 to score in four consecutive FA Cup matches. Dominik Szoboszlai may again be asked to fill in at right‑back if Frimpong is unavailable, allowing Florian Wirtz to operate centrally ahead of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch.
Conclusion
With 18 of the last 19 meetings between these two sides producing at least two goals, another high‑octane encounter appears likely. The spotlight will naturally fall on Salah’s availability, but Liverpool retain multiple attacking threats capable of troubling the hosts.
Even so, City’s exceptional FA Cup pedigree and formidable home record make them difficult to oppose. Buoyed by EFL Cup success and backed by history, Guardiola’s side are favoured to overcome Liverpool and book their place in the FA Cup semi‑finals.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 8/11
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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