Liverpool face a daunting trip to Manchester City in the standout tie of the FA Cup quarter-finals this weekend, as Mohamed Salah aims to end nine spectacular seasons at Anfield on a high note. Arsenal and Chelsea are expected to progress to the semi-finals at Wembley against lower-tier opposition, while West Ham and Leeds put their battle for Premier League survival on hold for a chance to reach the last four.
Manchester City produced perhaps their best performance of the season to dominate Arsenal and win the League Cup final 2-0 before the international break. They remain in contention to match their historic 2018/19 feat as the only English side to win the domestic treble of League Cup, FA Cup, and Premier League. Liverpool, languishing fifth in the Premier League, face a defining period for their season, with the FA Cup and Champions League their only remaining hope of silverware. Arne Slot’s future at Anfield may hinge on the coming weeks, starting with the trip to the Etihad, before a two-legged Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain on April 8 and 14.
Salah, who announced during the international break that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season with 255 goals for the club, will also be bidding farewell. “Hopefully, he can make his legacy even more special in the upcoming weeks and months where we still play for something special, but he will always leave this club as a legend,” Slot said, according to AFP.
Chelsea look to avoid a major FA Cup upset amid turbulence at Stamford Bridge, where four consecutive defeats have cast doubt over manager Liam Rosenior’s future less than three months into his tenure. Public criticism from Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella over the sacking of former manager Enzo Maresca, combined with Chelsea’s announcement of a Premier League record pre-tax loss of £262.4 million for the year ending June 30, has intensified scrutiny on the club. Port Vale, rooted to the bottom of League One, have won as many matches in the FA and League Cup this season as they have in 38 league games, suggesting a tough challenge ahead for the lower-league side.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will be under the microscope at St. Mary’s after several key players, including Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Gabriel Magalhaes, withdrew from international duty with injuries. The Gunners are seeking a response after their six-year wait for a trophy was extended by Manchester City at Wembley, but they remain in pole position for a first Premier League title in 22 years. They also have a favourable Champions League quarter-final draw against Sporting Lisbon.
West Ham and Leeds, while focused on Premier League survival, have been handed a rare chance to reach the FA Cup semi-finals. Leeds have not reached the last four since 1987, while West Ham’s last appearance came 20 years ago. West Ham sit in the relegation zone, four points behind Leeds, but the cup run has provided positive momentum. Since ending a 10-match winless streak against QPR in the third round, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have lost just three of 13 games.
