Manchester City meet Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium, London, in a battle for a spot in 2022-23 FA Cup Final.
Victory would see Man City qualify for a 12th FA Cup Final, whilst Sheffield Utd can secure only their seventh FA Cup Final appearance with a win.
Team News
Phil Foden could start for Man City after unexpectedly featuring on the bench as an unused substitute in their 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich in Munich, Germany, on Wednesday.
Nathan Ake however is now ruled out after he was substituted with a hamstring injury in the 66th minute in midweek, and could be replaced by Aymeric Laporte in the starting line-up.
Sheffield Utd will be without Tommy Doyle and James McAtee who are ineligible to face their parent club, due to being on loan from City.
Chris Basham (back) and Enda Stevens (hamstring) could also feature whilst goalkeeper, Wes Foderingham is expected to return in goal after serving a two-match ban.
Jack O’Connell (fitness), Rhys Norrington-Davies, Ben Osborn and Rhian Brewster (all hamstring) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Man City meet Sheffield Utd at Wembley Stadium, London, on Saturday 22 April in a 4:45pm BST kick-off, with the match broadcast live on ITV1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Man City have failed to win any of their six previous FA Cup meetings against Sheffield Utd across four previous ties (D2, L4), during which a Quarter-Final tie in March 1914 needed two replays.
- Sheffield Utd are playing Man City at Wembley Stadium for the very first time but are unbeaten in two previous FA Cup clashes when played as the away team (W1, D1).
- City have scored just one goal in their last five FA Cup ties against Sheffield Utd.
- Man City are yet to concede in this season’s FA Cup (W4), having scored 14 goals in four matches without reply.
- Paul Heckingbottom’s Blades have scored four injury-time goals in this season’s FA Cup.
Prediction
Having endured a difficult trip to Bayern in midweek in which they snatched a draw amidst stubborn defending and a clinical strike, Man City now need to reset in a game where they’re favourites given their superior quality and firepower.
Despite their underdog status, Sheffield can be buoyant by their unbeaten record against Man City in this competition, but they’re going to have to be absolutely clinical unlike in their midweek win over Bristol City because I think the counter-attack will be their only option of achieving a cupset.
Doyle and McAtee though will be huge losses in midfield which puts huge pressure on Oliver Norwood to step up alongside Sander Berge and John Fleck, especially because Utd’s midfield could be key to hitting City on the counter-attack.
I though can’t see Man City losing this if they’re at their absolute best but if their poor FA Cup form against the Blades is a hoodoo, it is going to take something genuinely special to deny them although Sheffield Utd can take heart from their Fifth Round win over Tottenham to try and create a contest.
In the end, it should be a comfortable victory for City but I do expect Pep Guardiola to have one eye on Wednesday’s crunch Premier League meeting against Arsenal, which could well influence his selection and prevent a mauling for Utd in the same style that Burnley experienced last month.
Prediction: Manchester City 3-0 Sheffield United
Result: Manchester City 3-0 Sheffield United
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