BEVERLY HILLS, February 12, (THEWILL) – As some of the qualifiers played in the English FA Cup have resolved the teams that have booked a slot in that next stage of the Cup competition, the next pairings promise football fans plenty to look forward to in the 2020/2021 season.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side, which has witnessed a fresh surge of enthusiasm and vigour that has catapulted them to an unassailable lead at the top of the premier league even with a game at hand, will have to overcome Carlo Ancelotti’s equally impressive Everton in the quarter finals of the FA Cup, while Leicester City will take on Manchester United.
City are presently in contention for four different honours: the FA Cup, the Premier League, where they lead, the final of the Carabao Cup and the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. There are no easy matches at these stages of their different competitions and the FA Cup is no exception with an Everton side that beat Tottenham 5-4 to qualify in front of them.
By way of passage, Ole Gunnar Solskaer’s Red Devils scaled past West Ham to book their place and will find in Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes of Leicester a worthy opponent, especially if their imperial forward Jamie Vardy is available to be fielded. Leicester will be looking to change their fortunes after previously losing four FA Cup finals.
Based on the results from Thursday’s Barnsley versus Chelsea tie, Sheffield United will be on the other side to know which of those two teams will be their next round opponent.
Also in the quarter-finals is Southampton, who guaranteed their inclusion through a 2-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. They will be up against AFC Bournemouth, currently placed 6th in the Championship, the second tier of English football.
FA Cup quarter-final draw:
Everton v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Southampton
Leicester City Manchester United
Barnsley or Chelsea v Sheffield United
The quarter-finals take place on the weekend of March 20.
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