How strong will Pep and Slot go?

Man City vs Liverpool – Saturday, kick-off 12.45pm

There is still plenty of silverware for both Man City and Liverpool to win this season – so it will be intriguing to see if Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot go strong at the Etihad this Saturday lunchtime.

City, who have already claimed the first trophy of the campaign after beating Arsenal in last month’s League Cup final, could be eyeing a domestic treble come the end of May. And after the club’s recent Champions League exit, Guardiola will now have a rare free week with his players to prepare for their crucial next league game at Chelsea on April 12.

Sunday 12th April 4:00pm


Kick off 4:30pm

City should therefore field their strongest line-up this weekend, but that may not be the case with the visitors, who could still win an FA Cup and Champions League double themselves this season, however unlikely that may seem.

Slot has more selection dilemmas for his side’s trip to Manchester, though, with Alisson Becker, Jeremie Frimpong and Mohamed Salah all injury doubts, while the Dutchman also has to factor in both Wednesday’s Champions League last-eight game at Paris Saint-Germain and the visit of Fulham three days later as the Reds chase a return to Europe’s premier club competition next season.

That trio of awkward-looking fixtures across three different competitions in a taxing seven-day spell means Slot will almost certainly have to juggle his playing resources at the Etihad, which may very well hand the initiative to the hosts in what is sure to be a closely-fought contest.
Rich Morgan

Dowman in the spotlight as Gunners aim to shake off injury worries

Southampton vs Arsenal – Saturday, kick-off 8pm

If Mikel Arteta has spent the international break stewing on Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Man City, his mood would not have been improved by an increase in injury issues through his squad.

The Gunners are up to double figures when it comes to players sidelined or a doubt with fitness problems ahead of this weekend. While some of those injured players may be able to turn out at Southampton, Arteta will also be wary of how he manages his resources ahead of a Champions League quarter-final first leg at Sporting on Tuesday.

Balancing his squad and selections will be key if Arsenal are to keep a Premier League-Champions League-FA Cup treble bid on track.

Could that all pave the way for 16-year-old Max Dowman to start? St Mary’s would be a fitting venue for England’s latest teenage prodigy to build on his recent goal for the country’s U19s, having been the home ground of Theo Walcott when he made his breakthrough, also aged 16.

Southampton’s own selections will also be interesting. They are unbeaten in 14 games and pushing for a Championship play-off place, with a huge game at Wrexham in that battle on Tuesday. How both managers prioritise this tie could be a decisive factor.
Peter Smith

Only a thrashing will temper growing doubts in Blues support

Chelsea vs Port Vale – Saturday, kick-off 5.15pm

There is very little doubt that Chelsea will beat Port Vale at Stamford Bridge on Saturday night. The Blues have won each of their last 37 ties against lower-league opposition since they were shocked by Bradford City in the FA Cup fourth round in 2015.

They went on to win the Premier League that year, so that kind of calamitous afternoon could be written off as a one-off. Liam Rosenior, in dire need of some credit in the bank, does not have such a luxury on the back of four consecutive defeats.

Nothing less than a performance of domination and quality will appease those at Stamford Bridge against a side 61 places below them in the English football pyramid, who were hammered 4-0 by Wycombe in League One last weekend – but most importantly, have nothing to lose.

Rosenior will likely give some members of his wider squad game time to keep them fresh and avoid rushing his key players back after inter-continental travails over the international break.

This will pale into insignificance when Manchester City drop into west London a week on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, but ahead of that Rosenior needs something, anything, to raise the mood around Stamford Bridge.
Ron Walker

Relegation rivals target Wembley boost

West Ham vs Leeds – Sunday, kick-off 4.30pm

Premier League survival is the priority for West Ham and Leeds, but a morale-boosting victory over a relegation rival for a place in the FA Cup semi-finals cannot be underestimated.

Just four points separate the sides with six games remaining and the pair face each other on the final day in a potential season decider. Sunday’s tie provides the opportunity to make a statement before the run-in begins.

West Ham have not reached an FA Cup semi-final since 2006 before they famously lost to Liverpool in one of the competition’s great finals. Leeds’ wait for a spot in the last four has been even longer. It has been almost 40 years since they made the semi-finals in 1987 and they are already in rare territory making it this far.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s Hammers have lost only three times in their last 10 games, to Aston Villa, Liverpool and Chelsea, and will hope winger Crysencio Summerville will return to fitness soon from a calf injury after playing a key part in that run.

Leeds’ problems have been at the top end of the pitch recently, failing to score in their last four league matches although they did put three past Norwich City in the previous round.

Following the international break, this tie is about more than just a trip to Wembley with the run-in on the horizon.
David Richardson