FA Cup quarter-final preview, team news, stats and how to follow across Sky Sports | Football News

Find out the team news and latest stats for this weekend’s FA Cup quarter-finals, with Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool in action.

Middlesbrough vs Chelsea – Saturday, 5.15pm

Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder has insisted Chelsea do not need sympathy as he prepares to send his side into FA Cup quarter-final battle with them.

The two clubs meet at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday evening with the Blues having been plunged into uncertainty by the sanctions imposed on owner Roman Abramovich following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday morning, Wilder said: “Somebody comes into your football club, invests hundreds of millions of pounds and turns it into – it had history before – what it has turned into, serial trophy-winning teams, world-class managers, world-class players, world-class infrastructure, a women’s team that wins everything, and youth team and an academy that’s the best in the country, that wins the Youth Cup.

“It will go up for sale and it will be bought by a billionaire, who will possibly invest more money into it, they’ll possibly invest in the stadium, invest in the facilities, so I don’t think there’s, in the football world, an incredible amount of sympathy over what’s happening, really, and I don’t think Chelsea supporters would expect that as well.

“It will be a sort period before the takeover and Chelsea will go again and they’ll go on from strength to strength.”

Team news: Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder will welcome striker Andraz Sporar back into the squad for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final clash with Premier League Chelsea.

Sporar has missed the Sky Bet Championship club’s last two games through illness but is available once again.

He will be joined in the squad by midfielder James Lea Siliki, who has also sat out recently after feeling unwell.

Defender Anfernee Dijksteel has shown no ill-effects following his return from illness in Tuesday night’s 2-0 win at Birmingham, but Riley McGree and Martin Payero remain on the sidelines.

Reece James, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Andreas Christensen all face a race against time to be fit for Chelsea. England full-back James has a leg muscle issue, with Hudson-Odoi battling an Achilles concern.

Christensen trudged out of Wednesday’s Champions League win at Lille with a muscle problem. And now all three players have a “tight race” to be ready for the Blues’ FA Cup quarter-final trip.

How to follow on Sky Sports: Follow Middlesbrough vs Chelsea in our dedicated live blog across Sky Sports’ digital platforms. Follow the semi-final draw live on the Sky Sports app and website at 5.30pm on Sunday.

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• Since recording back-to-back Premier League wins over Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea in February and August 2006, Middlesbrough have lost each of their last eight matches with the Blues in all competitions without scoring a single goal.
• Only against Crystal Palace (9) and Bolton Wanderers (10) are Chelsea on a current longer winning run in all competitions than against Middlesbrough (8), with the Blues netting 19 times without conceding across this spell.
• Chelsea have won three of the previous four FA Cup clashes with Middlesbrough, only losing in the third round in 1993. One of those previous matchups was the 1997 showpiece, when Middlesbrough – appearing in their first and only FA Cup final – suffered a 2-0 defeat at Wembley thanks to goals from Roberto Di Matteo and Eddie Newton.
• Middlesbrough are appearing in their first FA Cup quarter-final since 2016-17, when they lost 2-0 at home to Pep Guardiola’s Man City. They’ve been eliminated at this stage on each of the last four occasions they’ve reached the final eight, since making the semi-finals in 2005-06 under Steve McClaren.
• Middlesbrough have eliminated two Premier League clubs en route to the quarter-finals, beating Man Utd on penalties and Spurs via extra-time. This is the first time since 1991-92 (Sheffield Wednesday and Manchester City) they’ve knocked out multiple top-flight clubs in the same FA Cup season when playing outside of the division themselves, with Wigan in 2017-18 the most recent such side to do so on three occasions.
• Chelsea have gone on to progress from 15 of their last 19 FA Cup quarter-final ties, with only Everton (26), Man Utd and Arsenal (both 30) reaching the final four on more occasions than the Blues in the competition’s history (25 times).
• Thomas Tuchel has progressed from each of his last seven ties at the quarter-final stage across all competitions as both PSG and Chelsea manager, a run which started halfway through the 2018-19 campaign (Coupe de France x2, Coupe de la Ligue, Champions League x2, FA Cup, League Cup).

Crystal Palace vs Everton – Sunday, 12.30pm

Team news: Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira has no fresh injury concerns to contend with ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Everton.

Luka Milivojevic, Will Hughes and Martin Kelly missed Monday’s 0-0 draw with Premier League leaders Manchester City but are in contention this weekend.

Joel Ward was on the bench for that game after a period sidelined with a groin injury. Palace midfielder James McArthur and full-back Nathan Ferguson are not training.

Everton midfielder Allan starts a three-match suspension for his red card against Newcastle on Thursday, although the club have appealed the dismissal.

Defender Jonjoe Kenny, however, returns from a one-match ban. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford remains absent with illness so Asmir Begovic will continue to deputise.

January signings Donny Van De Beek, Dele Alli and Anwar El Ghazi are all cup-tied.

How to follow on Sky Sports: Follow Crystal Palace vs Everton in our dedicated live blog across Sky Sports’ digital platforms. Follow the semi-final draw live on the Sky Sports app and website at 5.30pm on Sunday.

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• Crystal Palace’s 3-1 win over Everton in December in the Premier League was their first against the Toffees in 14 matches (D7 L6), with their last success in this fixture before this season coming in September 2014. The Eagles have never beaten Everton twice in the same campaign.
• Everton haven’t lost consecutive away games at Crystal Palace since 1971, when they lost in back-to-back away top-flight visits. The Toffees conceded as many times in their Premier League trip in December than they had in the eight visits beforehand (3).
• 31 goals have been scored across the seven previous FA Cup clashes between Crystal Palace (11) and Everton (20), with both sides recording separate 6-0 wins over the other in the competition. However, the Eagles have only progressed from one of those five ties, doing so in 1921-22. Their last meeting in the competition was in 1971-72 in the third round (Everton won 3-2 in a replay).
• Everton are appearing in the quarter-final of the FA Cup for the 47th time, the outright most of any side in the competition’s history. The Toffees have progressed to the final four in 57% of those ties (26/46), last doing so in 2015-16 under Roberto Martinez.
• This is Crystal Palace’s second FA Cup quarter-final in the last four seasons, falling at this stage in 2018-19 to Watford. The Eagles had only reached the final eight in two of the 28 campaigns before that season, in 1994-95 and 2015-16, going on the reach the final of the latter.
• Everton are winless in their last 10 FA Cup away games in London (D4 L6) since beating Charlton in the third round in 1991 under Howard Kendall. The Toffees have conceded 20 times in those 10 trips, 70% of which have come in their most recent five games (14).
• No player has been involved in more FA Cup goals this season than Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise (4), with Olise scoring two and assisting two of the Eagles’ six goals in the competition this term.

Southampton vs Man City – Sunday, 3pm

Team news

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has no fresh selection concerns ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City.

Winger Nathan Tella had been sidelined by a groin issue, but is one of those who could return to contention along with Nathan Redmond.

Defender Tino Livramento, on-loan Chelsea forward Armando Broja and striker Theo Walcott should also be involved again as Hasenhuttl looks to freshen up the side.

Centre-back Lyanco and goalkeeper Alex McCarthy (both thigh) continue their own rehabilitation.

Man City are still without defender Ruben Dias due to a thigh injury. The Portuguese has now returned to training but is not expected back in action until some time next month.

Second-choice goalkeeper Zack Steffen, who typically features in cup games, is an option after overcoming a shoulder injury.

Centre-back Nathan Ake is also back in contention after a knock having been an unused substitute at Crystal Palace on Monday.

How to follow on Sky Sports: Follow Southampton vs Man City in our dedicated live blog across Sky Sports’ digital platforms. Follow the semi-final draw live on the Sky Sports app and website at 5.30pm on Sunday.

Opta stats

• Southampton and Manchester City will meet three times in the same campaign for the second time in the last three seasons, also doing so in 2019-20, when the Saints won the only one of those games to be played at St Mary’s (1-0 in the Premier League).
• Each of the two Premier League clashes between Southampton and Man City this season have ended level, 0-0 at the Etihad and 1-1 at St Mary’s most recently. The last side to face the Citizens at least three times in the same campaign without losing were Liverpool in 2015-16.
• Since Pep Guardiola joined Manchester City ahead of the 2016-17 campaign, Southampton have managed to win just one of the 13 clashes between the sides (D3 L9), a 1-0 win in July 2020 on home soil.
• Manchester City last faced Southampton in the FA Cup back in January 2007 in the fourth round, with goals from Darius Vassell, Joey Barton and DaMarcus Beasley turning a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 victory (Kenwyne Jones with the goal for the Saints).
• Southampton have only lost three of their last 18 FA Cup matches, two of which have come at the semi-final stage at Wembley (W12 D3). Indeed, at home Saints are unbeaten in their last eight in the competition (W6 D2) since a 5-0 loss to Arsenal in the fourth round in 2016-17.
• This will be Manchester City’s fifth FA Cup quarter-final in six seasons under Pep Guardiola, only missing out in 2017-18. Their previous five appearances at this stage came across 11 campaigns between 2005-06 and 2015-16. Each of their four previous ties under the Spaniard at this stage have come away from home, progressing each time.
• No team has scored more FA Cup goals than Manchester City this season (10, level with Chelsea and Barrow). The Citizens have only failed to score in two of their last 19 games in the competition (netting 58 goals in total), with both of those games being in semi-final defeats in the last two seasons.

Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool – Sunday, 6pm

Team news: Nottingham Forest will be without Scott McKenna for their FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool.

The defender limped off with a hamstring problem late in Wednesday’s victory over QPR and is expected to be sidelined for a month. The news comes as a blow to Forest, who had already lost fellow defenders Steve Cook and Max Lowe.

They will both miss at least a month with injuries picked up in the previous game against Reading last weekend.

Influential Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is out for a number of weeks with a hamstring injury.

Forward Mohamed Salah is still nursing a bruised foot which caused him some discomfort after coming off the bench in the midweek win over Arsenal and may be rested.

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker will start, having previously shared duties with Caoimhin Kelleher.

Midfielder James Milner and left-back Kostas Tsimikas both missed the trip to Arsenal through illness and will need to be assessed.

How to follow on Sky Sports: Follow Nottingham Forest vs Liverpool in our dedicated live blog across Sky Sports’ digital platforms. Follow the semi-final draw live on the Sky Sports app and website at 5.30pm on Sunday.

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• This is the first meeting in any competition between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool since a 2-2 draw at the City Ground in April 1999 in the Premier League.
• This is the first FA Cup meeting between Nottingham Forest and Liverpool since the 1988-89 semi-final, when the Reds’ won 3-1 at Old Trafford en route to winning the trophy. Overall, Liverpool have progressed from six of their seven FA Cup ties against Nottingham Forest, failing only in the first such meeting in February 1895.
• This is the first time Liverpool have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup under Jurgen Klopp, with the previous occasion in which they did so coming in April 2015 under Brendan Rodgers. The Reds, however, have progressed past this stage in 16 of the last 17 campaigns they’ve reached the final eight.
• Liverpool have won just two of their last eight FA Cup matches away from home (D2 L4), with the Reds conceding at least twice in six of those games. Each of their three matches this season have come at Anfield.
• Liverpool have progressed from 13 of their last 15 FA Cup ties against sides from a lower division, only failing to do so vs Oldham in 2012-13 (fourth round) and Wolves in 2016-17 (fourth round). They last fell at this stage of the competition to a side outside the top-flight in 1969-70 against Watford under Bill Shankly.
• Liverpool have progressed from/won eight different ties across the League Cup (5) and FA Cup (3) this season. Not since 2011-12 have the Reds made it through more rounds across England’s domestic cup competitions (11), when they won the League Cup and finished as runners-up in the FA Cup under Kenny Dalglish.
• This is Nottingham Forest’s first FA Cup quarter-final match since the 1995-96 campaign, when they lost 1-0 at home to Aston Villa. Forest last reached the semi-final of the competition in 1990-91, when they eventually lost in the final to Tottenham Hotspur.
• Nottingham Forest have already eliminated two Premier League opponents in this season’s FA Cup, knocking out Arsenal in round three and holders Leicester in round four. The last time Forest were successful in three consecutive FA Cup ties against top-flight opponents was in 1990-91 (Crystal Palace, Southampton and Norwich City).