Everton vs Manchester City
20 March 2021
This is the first FA Cup meeting between Everton and Man City since the 1980-81 quarter-final, with the Citizens winning 3-1 in a replay en route to the final.
Manchester City have won each of their last six meetings with Everton – all coming in the Premier League – their best ever winning run against the Toffees.
Everton last reached the FA Cup semi-final in the 2015-16 campaign. The Toffees have lost four of their last five FA Cup games against fellow Premier League opponents, though did eliminate Spurs in the last round.
Manchester City are looking to reach the FA Cup semi-final in three consecutive seasons for the first time since doing so between 1931-32 and 1933-34.
Everton have won their last four FA Cup home games, last winning five in a row at Goodison Park between January 1999 and January 2000.
Manchester City have won 10 of their last 12 FA Cup away games, drawing with Huddersfield (February 2017) and losing at Wigan (February 2018) in the others.
Everton’s Richarlison has scored three goals in his two FA Cup appearances this season, having scored just once in his previous five games in the competition.
Man City’s Gabriel Jesus has been involved in 13 goals in his 14 appearances in the FA Cup (9 goals, 4 assists). However, the quarter-final is the only round of the competition the Brazilian has played in but not scored.
Bournemouth vs Southampton
20 March 2021
Bournemouth won their only previous FA Cup tie against Southampton, winning 3-1 in a first round replay in 1953-54.
Southampton are unbeaten in their last four away games against Bournemouth in all competitions (W2 D2), since a 0-2 Premier League loss in March 2016.
This is just Bournemouth’s second appearance in the FA Cup quarter-final, with the Cherries losing to Manchester United’s ‘Busby Babes’ in their only previous such game in March 1957.
Southampton have reached the FA Cup semi-final in just one of the last 17 seasons, doing so in 2017-18 before being eliminated by eventual winners Chelsea.
Bournemouth have progressed from just four of their 29 FA Cup ties against top-flight opponents, though they did beat Premier League side Burnley in the last round.
Southampton have progressed from 21 of their last 23 FA Cup ties against sides from a lower division, losing against Bristol Rovers in February 2008 and Derby in January 2019.
Only one of the last 13 FA Cup quarter-final ties to see a side from a lower division face top-flight opponents has ended with the lower-ranked side progressing – then Championship side (and holders) Wigan Athletic knocking out Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City in March 2014.
Bournemouth striker Sam Surridge has scored in three of his last five FA Cup matches, with each of his three goals coming against Premier League opposition – vs Fulham (Jan 2019), Arsenal (Jan 2020) and vs Burnley (Feb 2021).
Leicester City vs Manchester United
21 March 2021
Manchester United have won each of the previous two FA Cup clashes with Leicester City, a 2-1 win in the fifth round in 1976 and a 3-1 victory in the 1963 final of the competition – lifting the trophy for the third time.
Leicester have won just one of their last 25 meetings with Manchester United in all competitions (D5 L19), and none of the last 13 (D4 L9) since a 5-3 win at home in September 2014 in the Premier League.
Manchester United are looking to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for a record 31st time, with the Red Devils currently level with Arsenal on appearances in the last four of the competition.
Leicester, who have lost each of their last five quarter-final ties in the FA Cup, last reached the semi-final of the competition back in 1982, when they lost 0-2 to eventual winners Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park.
Leicester have won six of their last eight FA Cup matches on home soil (L2), though both of their defeats across this run have come at the quarter-final stage against Chelsea, in 2017-18 and 2019-20.
Manchester United have won 12 of their last 15 FA Cup matches away from home (D1 L2), with their two defeats during this run coming at the quarter-final stage, versus Chelsea in 2016-17 and Wolves in 2018-19.
Excluding own goals, only Bristol Rovers and Spurs (9) have had more different goalscorers in this season’s FA Cup than Leicester City, with each of their eight goals coming from a different player (Justin, Albrighton, Pérez, Barnes, Ünder, Tielemans, Maddison & Iheanacho).
Only against Brighton (5) and Southampton (6) has Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjær taken charge of more matches at English clubs without losing than he has versus Leicester (P4 W3 D1 L0).
Chelsea vs Sheffield United
21 March 2021
Chelsea have won four of their five previous FA Cup ties against Sheffield United, with this the first such meeting between the sides since 1992. However, Sheffield United’s sole win against the Blues in the competition was the 1915 final at Old Trafford, lifting their third FA Cup trophy after a 3-0 win.
Since the 1992 FA Cup clash between Chelsea and Sheffield United, the Blues have won three of the last six meetings between the sides at Stamford Bridge (D1 L2), though these matches range between 1992 and 2020 – all in the top-flight.
Chelsea are appearing in their 15th FA Cup quarter-final since the turn of the millennium – the most of any side – and are looking to reach the semi-finals for the fourth time in the last five seasons, missing out in 2018-19 after a fifth round defeat against Manchester United.
Sheffield United have reached back-to-back FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002-03 & 2003-04, though they haven’t qualified for the semi-finals whilst playing in the top-flight since 1992-93, beating Blackburn on penalties following a replay.
Chelsea have won 19 of their last 23 FA Cup matches played on home soil (D2 L2), winning the last four in a row.
Sheffield United have won each of their last three away games in the FA Cup, though they’ve lost six of the last nine when travelling to face top-flight opposition (W3).
Coming into the quarter-final ties, no player has scored more FA Cup goals this season than Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham, who has netted four times from four shots on target. The last Chelsea player to score more in a single campaign was Frank Lampard in 2006-07 (6). Billy Sharp has netted each of Sheffield United’s last two goals in the FA Cup, scoring the winners against Plymouth Argyle (fourth round) and Bristol City (fifth round) – he has never scored more than twice in the same FA Cup campaign. — Supersport.
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