Manchester City host Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and three football pundits are all in agreement on who will go through
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool reacts after a decision made by the Referee during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at Etihad Stadium on November 09, 2025 in Manchester, England.
Manchester City and Liverpool meet once again this weekend(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
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Manchester City face Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and only one team has a chance of winning according to numerous football experts. Pep Guardiola's side have got the better of the Reds on both occasions they have met this season, winning 3-0 and 2-1 respectively.
City will still be on a high from lifting the Carabao Cup with a 2-0 win over Arsenal, pocketing their first piece of silverware this campaign. Liverpool exited the competition to Crystal Palace but are still alive in the Champions League, where they face Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals.
City were dumped out of Europe by Real Madrid and are nine points behind the Gunners in the Premier League. They are dreaming of the domestic double, while Liverpool are just keen to get one trophy in the cabinet this season.
The FA Cup tie will be a heavily-contested affair but five football pundits believe there is only one answer on who will progress.
Paul Merson - Man City win
Paul Merson admitted that the FA Cup clash was a "hard game to predict" but feels that Guardiola will get one over Arne Slot for the third time this season. Speaking to Sportskeeda, the former Arsenal man said: "I was at Wembley and saw Manchester City beat Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final. Arsenal were terrible in that game, they couldn't get out after the first 15 minutes. But I also don't remember Kepa being forced to make any big saves at the same time.
"When I watch Liverpool, sometimes they are good and the other times, they are completely and utterly out of it. Just look at the second leg against Galatasaray. Liverpool won that game quite comfortably and then looked poor in the loss to Brighton.
Paul Merson working as a pundit for Sky Sports during the Premier League match between Manchester City FC and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Manchester, England.
Paul Merson is backing his old rivals(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)
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"Consistency is non-existent at Liverpool. So it will come down to what version of Liverpool will turn up in this game at the Etihad on Saturday. Liverpool have a big week or two coming up. If they are not careful, their season could be all over!
"Even though Liverpool have their Champions League quarter-final against PSG coming up on Wednesday, I expect Arne Slot to field his best eleven here. Let's be honest, Liverpool have a better chance of winning the FA Cup than the Champions League. So I would say they should go all in this weekend and then take it from there.
"Manchester City did not look like world-beaters during the cup final win over Arsenal. And as an ex-professional footballer, I did not like the show-boating from Rayan Cherki. He's fortunate we are in 2026 and not the 1990s. It was a bit disrespectful.
"This could go any way, but I'm backing Manchester City simply because of how inconsistent Liverpool have been this season."
Clinton Morrison - Man City win
Clinton Morrison, pundit for Sky Sports television ahead of the Sky Bet Championship match between Coventry City and Ipswich Town at The Coventry Building Society Arena on April 30, 2024 in Coventry, England.
Clinton Morrison thinks the Reds will crumble(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
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Clinton Morrison feels there's plenty of pressure on Liverpool and that they will crumble due to defensive issues. He told FreeBets: "There's massive pressure on Arne Slot here because this is the only chance Liverpool have of bringing silverware through the door this season.
"But I actually think the bigger priority for Liverpool right now is getting into the Champions League, that's more important than the FA Cup. If you're not in the Champions League, you lose players.
"That said, they still need to get through Man City, who are in brilliant form. You saw what they did to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final. Pep will want another trophy and they'll go for this. The way Liverpool are playing at the moment, I wouldn't make them favourites.
"In a one-off game they can beat anyone, but I just feel they're a bit vulnerable at the back. I'm going Man City."
Joe Cole - Man City win
Joe Cole, TNT Sports presenter, during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester City at the London Stadium in Stratford, United Kingdom, on March 14, 2026.
Joe Cole thinks City will lift the trophy(Image: Kevin Hodgson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Joe Cole sat down with Joe Hart and Glenn Hoddle to discuss who would go on to win the FA Cup. He believes that City will go on to secure the silverware after Darren Fletcher asked the question.
Speaking on TNT Sports, the ex-Chelsea star said: "I’ve just got a sneaky feeling for Joe [Hart]’s mob [Manchester City]."
He added: "Nostalgia is a big thing in this current age. There’s always been people harping on about the good old days, but now, music, fashion and football, all three things go hand in hand and the FA Cup encompasses all three things.
"I think there has been a big push back and this year’s FA Cup final, something incredible is going to happen, it has to."
Chris Sutton - Man City win
Chris Sutton is present during the Carabao Cup Semi-Final First Leg match between Newcastle United and Manchester City at St. James's Park in Newcastle, on January 13, 2026.
Chris Sutton believes one thing needs to happen in this game(Image: Scott Llewellyn/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Chris Sutton can't see past the fragilities of Liverpool and believes City need Erling Haaland in his best form to win the tie. Writing on his BBC Sport column, the former Blackburn Rovers star said: "It seems a section of Liverpool fans are not convinced by Arne Slot, and the Reds' poor Premier League form before the international break has put him under more pressure. Liverpool have taken one point from their past three games and their last performance, in an away defeat at Brighton, was really insipid.
"I still think it would be extremely harsh if they end up parting ways after the guy won them the title in his first year in the job but this feels like a huge week or two for Slot, and for Liverpool's whole campaign, with the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Paris St-Germain to come in France on Wednesday.
"Right now, Liverpool are miles off the team they were last season and beating City probably feels more achievable than getting past PSG. I'm not convinced they will do it though, and if they end up going out of both competitions in the space of 10 days then the Liverpool fans are going to be even more disgruntled.
"City are already out of Europe, and it will be hard, but not impossible, for them to win the Premier League from here, but Pep has already landed the Carabao Cup and he always takes the FA Cup seriously anyway. They are looking to extend their own record by reaching the semi-final for the eighth successive season and, if they get to the final, they will be the first team to make it to four in a row.
"City could really do with getting Erling Haaland firing again, while this is Liverpool's first game since Mohamed Salah announced he will be leaving at the end of the season. There are so many different ways to look at this tie, and who might step up to win it for either team, but City are at home and they have also beaten Liverpool twice already this season in the league. I just have a feeling they will take this one as well."
Alan Shearer - Man City win
Alan Shearer, former international footballer and Tv pundit portrait before the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Newcastle United FC and FC Barcelona at St James' Park on March 10, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Alan Shearer can't see past Manchester City(Image: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
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Alan Shearer thinks the momentum gained from City's Carabao Cup win will send them right to the FA Cup final. Speaking to the Metro about his FA Cup predictions, the Newcastle icon said: "The confidence and the belief that City will have after winning the Carabao Cup, and the way they did, will give them great belief and confidence to go again.
"There’s a lot of talk about Pep, and will he be here next season? Obviously, there’s a lot of talk about Liverpool and how poor they’ve been.
"For both clubs, there are huge talking points, but I think City will have enough to get through and I think they could go all the way in the FA Cup."