This next weekend marks the beginning of the final stages of the oldest football competition in the world, the FA Cup, with the quarterfinals taking place.
Manchester City’s home match against Newcastle and Manchester United’s showdown with Liverpool are two of the most anticipated fixtures of the Premier League.
Additionally, two Championship teams will be in action this weekend: Wolves hosts Coventry, while Chelsea hosts Leicester at Stamford Bridge. Both teams are aiming to advance to the semifinals.
Both Saturday and Sunday’s matches are previews.
Match between Wolves and Coventry (Saturday, 12.15pm, ITV1)
Wolves of the Premier League and Coventry of the Midlands derby will kick off Saturday’s quarterfinal action.
Even though they haven’t faced any top-flight competition yet, Mark Robins’ Sky Blues have scored 16 goals in the FA Cup this season.
Coventry last achieved this feat in the 1986–87 season, when they notably advanced to the final and defeated Tottenham.
Wolves have won their way past the quarterfinals twice in the past three seasons, the most recent being a 2-1 victory over Manchester United in 2018–19.
Saturday at 5:30 PM on BBC One: Manchester City vs. Newcastle
Newcastle stunned Manchester City earlier this season when they eliminated the Treble winners from the Carabao Cup at St. James’ Park.
Their dismal track record while visiting the Citizens makes a repeat performance appear implausible.
When playing on the road, Newcastle has lost 15 of their last 16 matches versus Manchester City, including all nine of their most recent meetings.
If Pep Guardiola’s squad wins, they will become the first FA Cup team to ever reach the semi-finals six times in a row.
Sunday at 12:45 PM on BBC One: Chelsea vs. Leicester
Chelsea, who have advanced to the FA Cup semi-finals five times in the past seven seasons, are another club that is a regular in that tournament.
Currently sitting atop the Championship, the Blues will be hosted by a Leicester team that eliminated Bournemouth in the fifth round.
Seven of Chelsea’s last eight FA Cup meetings versus Leicester have ended in a Chelsea victory, giving them the statistical advantage.
However, in the 2021 final, Leicester prevailed 1-0 in the game that counted most in this campaign.
Saturday at 3:30 p.m., on ITV1, Manchester United meets Liverpool.
United will host Liverpool, longtime rivals, at Old Trafford in the most exciting FA Cup quarterfinal.
This will be the fifteenth FA Cup meeting between the two most successful teams in English football history; United have advanced ten times, while Liverpool have advanced four times.
United took full advantage of playing at home in a nail-biting 3-2 victory in their most recent meeting in the quarterfinals in 2021.
But this time around, the favorites to win it all in Jurgen Klopp’s last season in charge, Liverpool, are likely to advance.