THERE is a mix of both league and FA Cup games this weekend, with Manchester United hosting Liverpool being the plum tie of the latter competition as it enters the quarter-final stage.
Manchester City take on Newcastle in the other mouth-watering FA Cup tie as Pep Guardiola’s side attempts unprecedented back-to-back trebles.
Only 10 games remain as the league reaches the business end and it’s now or never for the likes of Luton and Burnley to start putting points on the board. The fight for survival remains intense due to both Forest and Everton possibly being docked points for off-field misdemeanours.
FocusM takes a look at the talking points from all the weekend’s fixtures in the EPL and FA Cup.
English Premier League
Burnley v Brentford (Sat, 11pm)
Brentford’s winless streak of five should come to an end at Turf Moor against a Burnley side that looks resigned to their fate. Thomas Frank has been under a bit of scrutiny for the Bees’ recent poor form, and he will demand his players take full advantage of Burnley’s lack of confidence.
Ivan Toney has not found the net in his last four games and will want to find a bit of form to earn a place in England’s Euro2024 squad. The remaining fixtures will also be an audition for his impending move to a bigger club in the next transfer window.
Luton Town v Nottingham Forest (Sat, 11pm)
The proverbial relegation six-pointer as 18th hosts 17th with the added spice of a possible points deduction for Nottingham Forest. Luton will be nursing an almighty hangover after remarkably losing 4-3 to Bournemouth despite leading by three goals. They cannot afford another slip-up against their main relegation rivals and will have to stop shipping costly late goals.
Forest are in poor form, as they have lost their last three games and are finding goals hard to come by. A massive game with huge consequences comes at the end of the season. A must win for both sides.
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspurs (Sun, 1.30am)
Spurs will need to win this London derby to stay in the hunt for a top-four finish. They are in good form, having thrashed fourth-placed Aston Villa last weekend and they also have a game in hand over their midlands rivals in the fight for a Champions League berth.
Fulham are safely ensconced in midtable, and the danger is that their players have already switched into holiday mode as they have nothing to play for. Conversely, the lack of pressure could see the hand brake released and Fulham could push Spurs all the way.
West Ham United v Aston Villa (Sun, 10pm)
Both teams had midweek exertions in Europe and will need to rotate their squads to keep things fresh. But both sides will be buoyed by big wins that will give respective managers plenty of confidence that their teams are reaching peak performance levels at just the right time.
The Hammers annihilated Freiburg 5-0 while Villa defeated European powerhouse Ajax in the Europa League and Conference League respectively. Villa desperately need maximum points after a damaging defeat to Spurs last weekend severely dented their Champions League hopes.
FA Cup
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Coventry City (Sat, 8.15pm)
The home side may have to turn youngsters with injuries into key senior players for this FA Cup quarter-final. Gary O’Neil has done a remarkable job guiding Wolves to within shout of the European berths in the league.
A place in the semi-final will further enhance his bourgeoning reputation and underline what a mistake it was for Bournemouth to dispense with his services. A trophy and a return to European competition would be just rewards for a fine first season at the Molineux for O’Neil.
Leicester City v Chelsea (Sat, 8.45pm)
This is a repeat of the FA Cup final from three years ago, with the big difference being the diminished status of both teams. The home side are in the Championship, albeit currently occupying top spot, while their opponents are languishing in midtable obscurity in the Premiership despite spending a truckload of cash on new players.
The Foxes will be prioritising a return to the Premiership and thus may rotate their squad to keep players fresh for the promotion push. Whether the Londoners can take advantage depends on which version of Chelsea shows up.
Manchester City v Newcastle United (Sat, 1.30am)
Manchester City are arguably one of the greatest teams ever assembled in the history of the sport. Resources aside, this is possibly one of the finest collections of football players ever seen, and under Pep Guardiola’s astute management, they seem to crush opponents at will.
The fact that the home side is chasing a consecutive treble of the league, FA Cup and Champions League speaks volumes about how good this team really is. Newcastle can expect a torrid time at the Etihad and more questions will be raised about Eddie Howe if the margin of defeat is significant.
Manchester United v Liverpool (Sun, 11.30pm)
The big match of the weekend sees the English game’s two most successful sides clash at Old Trafford. Jurgen Klopp’s men are flying high after an 11-2 aggregate demolition of Sparta Prague in the Europa League and remain in contention for four trophies. The home side will be desperate to spoil Jurgen Klopp’s farewell season in the Premier League and will field the strongest possible side.
Liverpool are still battling an injury crisis and will have to contend with fatigue as the playing time mounts up for some of the players not sidelined by fitness issues. Mo Salah though should be available for selection after coming through 90 minutes against Sparta. – March 16, 2024
Main photo credit: The Emirates FA Cup
