Manchester City vs. Liverpool: Pep's Precision Meets Slot’s Structure in FA Cup Showdown

Citizens favoured to secure a return to Wembley in FA Cup

Liverpool’s Premier League title defence is as good as over, and Manchester City’s hopes of overtaking Arsenal in the top-flight standings are fading, with the Gunners nine points clear at the top of the table with seven games left to play. 

Pep Guardiola’s side were also eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid last month, but they are still on course for a domestic cup double, having defeated Mikel Arteta’s charges 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final directly before the international break. 

The Citizens are now favoured to take a step closer to another Wembley visit according to our FA Cup predictions, as they have already beaten Liverpool twice in the Premier League this season, most recently pulling off a comeback from a goal down to beat the Reds 2-1 at Anfield in February. 

City have also come out on top in each of their last 17 FA Cup matches at the Etihad - the joint-longest such run in the competition’s history. Additionally, they have reached the semi-final of this tournament in each of the last seven seasons and the final four times during this period. 

Yet, despite their dominance over the Mersysiders this season, the Sky Blues’ boss is taking nothing for granted and refused to count out the Reds in this contest during his pre-match press conference. Guardiola said: 

Liverpool, meanwhile, arrive at the Etihad this weekend off the back of a 2-1 defeat on the south coast to Brighton & Hove Albion and winless in their last three EPL games. Between that, though, the Reds secured their spot in the UCL last eight by beating Galatasaray 4-1 on aggregate in the RO16. 

The Reds have progressed from 17 of their 19 FA Cup quarter-final ties, though their most recent ended in defeat to City’s cross-town rivals Man United in 2023-24. Notably, Liverpool have never lost consecutive FA Cup quarter-finals since the late 1960s. 

Liverpool last won the FA Cup in 2022 when they beat Chelsea on penalties, while City have lifted the trophy twice under Guardiola (2019 and 2023), with the latter coming in their magnificent treble surge. 

Man City vs Liverpool FA Cup head-to-head results 

Check out our Man City vs. Liverpool prediction

Mohamed Salah: Egyptian King’s City swansong as a Red

Mohamed Salah dropped a bombshell during the March international break, announcing that the 2025-26 season would be his last for Liverpool, meaning this will mark his final match against his Mancunian rivals as a Red. 

The Egyptian King has been the heart and soul of Liverpool football club for just shy of the last decade, and he will undoubtedly be aiming to mark his swansong against the Citizens by adding to the 21 career goal contributions he has already recorded against them. 

Salah has only had more goal involvements against Manchester United than the Sky Blues across his career. Yet, despite the amount of pain he has inflicted on City over the years, Guardiola had nothing but praise for the Reds’ number 11 during his pre-match press conference. He said:

Mo Salah: Most goal contributions by team

See our FA Cup predictions