Manchester City will be looking to reach the FA Cup semi finals for the seventh consecutive season as they face AFC Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
City are out of the UEFA Champions League and very unlikely to win the Premier League, so the FA Cup remains their only real chance of winning a trophy this season.
Their opponents, who are enjoying an excellent season with the rise to prominence of the likes of Dean Hujsen, Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo, have never won a major trophy and will have that as their aim with City being the only “big six” club still left in the competition.
Here are five things to look out for as City play the Cherries:
Is Gvardiol fit?
France v Croatia - UEFA Nations League Quarterfinal Leg Two Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
In his pre-match press conference, Pep Guardiola said that his side had no new injury concerns, though this somewhat disputes what we saw during the international break.
This hopefully means that Josko Gvardiol, who went off injured in Croatia’s Nations League semi final defeat to France, will be fit enough to start against Bournemouth.
He was pictured in training on Friday which bodes well, but we can never be too sure as to whether he’ll be risked or not.
The other left back options in Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly aren’t exactly great with Nathan Ake injured, so Gvardiol’s availability could be a decisive factor in the tie.
A stronger team than previous rounds
Manchester City FC v Brighton & Hove Albion FC - Premier League Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images
In the previous rounds, we’ve seen the likes of O’Reilly, James McAtee, Jack Grealish and Vitor Reis start as Pep Guardiola has taken the chance to change his team around.
But now, City need to take the competition seriously; you would imagine that this match is much more difficult than the midweek clash with Leicester City will be.
Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez and whoever Guardiola decides his first choice attackers must start, as the Blues need to be at their best to challenge the Cherries.
Bournemouth’s attack vs City’s defence
AFC Bournemouth v Manchester City FC - Premier League Photo by Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images
Andoni Iraola’s side play excellent attacking football, and that’s largely due to the individual and collective brilliance of their forwards.
Kluivert, Semenyo, Dango Outtara, Evanilson and Marcus Tavenier have all stepped up a level this season, and will be looking to target a City defence that is riddled with injuries.
Abdukodir Khusanov has proven to be a decent piece of business and has formed a nice partnership with Ruben Dias, but City are struggling at full back with Rico Lewis and
Matheus Nunes having poor seasons to date at right back and Gvardiol the only real option on the left.
Bournemouth are likely to score, and if they don’t I think it’ll take a combination of wasteful attacking but also brilliant City defending to ensure a clean sheet and book a trip to Wembley.
Who starts in goal?
Liverpool FC v Manchester City - Premier League Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
It’s the FA Cup, so the logical answer would be Stefan Ortega.
But Ederson hasn’t played since the 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest three weeks ago due to injury and the international break, so he might need the minutes in his system.
I would still expect the German international to start, but don’t be surprised if Ederson is given the nod instead.
This match being decisive in who wins the FA Cup
Crystal Palace v Millwall - Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images
On paper, I’d argue that these two teams are the strongest still in the competition.
They play the best football and have the best technical players, though each club remaining in the competition will be hungry to win it for a different reason.
City need it in order to be able to call this season successful, whilst the other seven teams in the quarter finals haven’t won a trophy in decades.
I could well see the winner of this match lifting the FA Cup at Wembley at the end of the season, thus making it both an important and probably entertaining fixture.