Man City Hosts Liverpool in Thrilling FA Cup Quarter-Final While Arsenal Eyes Treble Glory

Arsenal and Chelsea will be looking to advance to the semi-finals at Wembley against lower-league opposition, while West Ham and Leeds put their fight for Premier League survival on hold as they aim for a place in the last four.

AFP Sport highlights key points to watch for in the four matches:

City delivered arguably their finest display of the season, overpowering Arsenal to secure a 2-0 victory in the League Cup final before the international break.

They are still on track to replicate their achievement as the sole English club to clinch the domestic treble of League Cup, FA Cup, and Premier League titles, which they achieved in the 2018/19 season.

Liverpool is facing a crucial 10-day period that could define not just their season but also the future of Arne Slot at Anfield.

Currently sitting fifth in the Premier League, the Reds’ hopes for silverware now rest on the FA Cup and Champions League.

After their encounter in Manchester, Slot’s team will take on defending European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals on April 8 and 14.

Despite steering Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th title in the English top flight less than a year ago, Slot finds himself under immense pressure to finish a challenging second season on a high to secure his position.

The remainder of Liverpool’s campaign is also seen as a prolonged farewell to Salah.

The Egyptian superstar announced during the international break that he would be departing at the end of the season, having scored 255 goals for the club to date.

“Hopefully, he can enhance his legacy even further in the coming weeks and months as we strive for something special, but he will always leave this club as a legend,” stated Slot.

Chelsea can hardly afford to suffer a major cup upset amid the turmoil currently engulfing Stamford Bridge.

Four consecutive losses have cast doubt on manager Liam Rosenior’s future just three months into his tenure.

Players Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella have publicly voiced their discontent, criticising the decision to dismiss Enzo Maresca back in January.

On Wednesday, Chelsea reported a Premier League record pre-tax loss of £262.4 million ($349.3 million) for the financial year ending June 30, fuelling speculation about potential player sales this summer.

A Port Vale side languishing at the bottom of League One, facing relegation to the fourth tier, is expected to provide minimal resistance to the Premier League outfit.

However, Vale have managed to secure as many wins in the FA and League Cup this season (seven) as they have in 38 league fixtures.

Mikel Arteta’s team selection at St. Mary’s will be closely examined, particularly as most of his key players withdrew from international duty due to injuries.

Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Gabriel Magalhaes were among the ten Arsenal players to pull out of national duties.

Arteta is eager to see a response after Arsenal’s six-year wait for silverware was extended by Manchester City at Wembley.

Still, they are firmly in contention for their first Premier League title in 22 years and have a favourable quarter-final draw in the Champions League against Sporting Lisbon.

While both teams are primarily focused on Premier League survival, this draw presents a rare opportunity to progress to the last four.

Leeds have not reached the FA Cup semi-finals since 1987, while West Ham last did so 20 years ago.

West Ham currently occupies a spot in the Premier League relegation zone, trailing Leeds by four points, yet they have harnessed the positive momentum of a cup run to revitalise their season.

Since breaking a 10-match winless streak against QPR in the third round, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side has lost only three of their last 13 matches.