FA Cup: Things to look out for in the quarter-finals this weekend

The draw for the quarter-final round of the FA Cup has thrown up some cracking ties as the eight remaining teams battle it out to reach Wembley.

Tournament favourites Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all avoided each other in the draw and will be determined not to fall on the wrong side of a cup upset.

Sportsmail takes a look at some of the things you should look out for in this weekend’s quartet of games.

Leicester won the FA Cup last season – but who will succeed them as winners of the old trophy

FA Cup quarter-final fixtures 

SATURDAY

Middlesbrough v Chelsea (5.15pm kick-off, BBC One)

SUNDAY

Crystal Palace v Everton (12.30pm, ITV)

Southampton v Manchester City (3pm, BBC One)

Nottingham Forest v Liverpool (6pm, ITV) 

Can the Liverpool quadruple juggernaut be stopped? 

With over two months left of the season, Liverpool are still in with a chance of an unprecedented achievement of winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are already one down after winning the Carabao Cup final in a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Chelsea.

They are in the quarter-finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League, and they are now just one point behind Manchester City in the race to win the title.

Jurgen Klopp's side are still in with a chance of winning an unprecedented quadruple

Jurgen Klopp’s side are still in with a chance of winning an unprecedented quadruple

The Reds have just one more hurdle to negotiate before the international break and that’s their trip to Championship side Nottingham Forest on Sunday night.

Somewhat amazingly it is the first time the two giants in the history of the English game have met since Forest were relegated from the top flight in the 1998-99 season.

It is also the first time they have met in the FA Cup since the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. 

On paper, it looks an easy Liverpool win, but Nottingham Forest have done remarkably well to reach this stage of the competition. 

They have already seen off two Premier League sides at the City ground in the form of Arsenal in the third and Leicester in the fourth round.

Liverpool will be their biggest test yet, even if Klopp decides to rest some of his top stars for the trip to Nottingham.

It is a huge challenge for Forest manager Steve Cooper and it would be a remarkable story if he can bring Liverpool’s hopes of a quadruple to a crashing end.

Nottingham Forest have already upset Arsenal and Leicester in the FA Cup this season

Nottingham Forest have already upset Arsenal and Leicester in the FA Cup this season

Championship sides look to make it to Wembley

It has been seven years since a Championship team has made it through to the semi-finals of the FA Cup and got the chance to play at Wembley.

This weekend, there are two teams remaining in the second tier of English football who have that opportunity.

Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough are both huge clubs but have not had much to smile about in recent years.

The East Midlands side have been out of the top-flight for 23 years while Middlesbrough are now in their fifth consecutive year in the Championship. 

Championship sides Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough have a chance of playing at Wembley but will have to overcome huge obstacles

Championship sides Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough have a chance of playing at Wembley but will have to overcome huge obstacles

There are huge obstacles in front of both sides, with Forest hosting Liverpool and Middlesbrough hosting Chelsea. 

There is a massive gulf in quality between the teams in both of those matches and so often in this competition the cream usually rises to the top.

But both sides have proved already this season they are capable of providing a FA Cup giant-killing taking scalps over Premier League sides.

It would be an incredible achievement for either side to make the semi-finals by beating Liverpool or Chelsea who are in the top three teams in the country.  

Both Chelsea (pictured) and Liverpool will hope to avoid becoming the latest victims of a cup upset

Both Chelsea (pictured) and Liverpool will hope to avoid becoming the latest victims of a cup upset

Middlesbrough look to make it a hat-trick  

Like Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough have also beaten two top-flight sides.

After knocking Manchester United out in a penalty shoot-out in the fourth round at Old Trafford, they then beat Tottenham 1-0 at the Riverside earlier this month.

Their path though doesn’t get any easier as they host Chelsea in the only cup tie to take place on Saturday.

It is a big challenge against the Blues who have a strong record in cup competitions since Thomas Tuchel took over at the club – making three finals.

Middlesbrough have already beaten Manchester United and Tottenham in the FA Cup

Middlesbrough have already beaten Manchester United and Tottenham in the FA Cup

The German will be keen to right the wrongs of their FA Cup final loss to Leicester last season, as well as the defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup last month.

Middlesbrough, though, will be hoping to pull off another upset to complete what would be an astonishing hat-trick of victories against Premier League opposition. 

There has been a lot of drama going into the game with Chelsea’s request for the game to be played behind closed doors being withdrawn after fan backlash.

Chelsea were unable to sell tickets for the game due to the sanctions made against current owner Roman Abramovich.

Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson in response to the request called the Blues a ‘rotten club’.

So there’s a bit of needle between off-pitch between both sides it’s fair to say, so it will be interesting to see if this is any way is reflected on the field. 

Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson called Chelsea a 'rotten club' in response to Chelsea's withdrawn request for the game to be played behind closed doors

Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson called Chelsea a ‘rotten club’ in response to Chelsea’s withdrawn request for the game to be played behind closed doors

Frank Lampard vs Patrick Vieira 

Crystal Palace’s clash with Everton will be the first time that Frank Lampard and Patrick Vieira face each other as managers.

As players, they were known as pivotal figures in the successes of both Arsenal and Chelsea in the 2000s and early 2010s. 

Up until Vieira’s exit from the Gunners in 2005, the Frenchman and Lampard would regularly square off in the centre of the park as Arsenal and Chelsea competed for success along with Manchester United.

It’s a very different story now for the two managers as they head teams with very different goals at this moment in time.

Patrick Vieira and Frank Lampard regularly battled in the midfield when Arsenal played Chelsea in the first-half of the 2000s

Patrick Vieira and Frank Lampard regularly battled in the midfield when Arsenal played Chelsea in the first-half of the 2000s

Vieira has done a great job in his first season at Palace, with the Eagles well clear of relegation and the Frenchman integrating some top English talent.   

Lampard only joined Everton in January and his start hasn’t gone quite so smoothly with the Toffees in the middle of a fierce battle to avoid the drop.

The pair enjoyed much success in the competition as players, winning a remarkable eight FA Cups collectively between them.

It’s been a long time since either side won a major trophy and fans of both clubs will be hoping the legendary players can transfer their success on the pitch to the dugout.

They now meet as managers for the first time with Lampard hoping to put Everton back on the right track

They now meet as managers for the first time with Lampard hoping to put Everton back on the right track

Vieira and Lampard have won the FA Cup on eight separate occasions between them

Vieira and Lampard have won the FA Cup on eight separate occasions between them

Southampton hope to frustrate Manchester City again 

Manchester City have seen their advantage at the top drop to just one point after their goalless draw with Crystal Palace, was followed off with Liverpool’s 2-0 win away at Arsenal.

A part of the reason the gap is now just one point is Manchester City’s inability to pick up three points against Southampton this season.

Southampton kept a clean sheet in a goalless draw against the Premier League champions in September at the Etihad.

Kyle Walker-Peters gave them a seventh minute lady at St Mary’s in January, but Aymeric Laporte ensured City took a share of the points.

Southampton have twice frustrated Manchester City this season with Kyle Walker-Peters scoring in a 1-1 draw back in January

Southampton have twice frustrated Manchester City this season with Kyle Walker-Peters scoring in a 1-1 draw back in January

Ralph Hasenhuttl this season has nailed down a blueprint of how to frustrate Pep Guardiola’s side. 

If Manchester City players, like in those two games and their draw with Crystal Palace fail to be ruthless, then Southampton could punish City.

Guardiola’s side have already lost a penalty shoot-out this season to West Ham in the Carabao Cup and will be hoping to avoid a repeat.

One concern for Southampton though is that they have lost their last three games since their fifth round FA Cup victory.

Ralph Hasenhuttl (right) has had the blueprint to keep Manchester City in recent games

Ralph Hasenhuttl (right) has had the blueprint to keep Manchester City in recent games

City look to regain momentum after Premier League setback

Manchester City have been the kings of the domestic cups in recent years winning the FA Cup twice and Carabao Cup four times since the appointment of Guardiola.

So it seems the perfect way for City to regain momentum and composure following their draw with Crystal Palace.

Against Liverpool in the title race, it will be essential for City to be almost faultless in their remaining games of the season.

Liverpool look like scoring in every game and City will have to return to their ruthless ways quick with a match coming up against the Reds just a week after the return of the Premier League in April.

The game against a Southampton side which have just hit a bit of a rough patch in the league, offers up the opportunity to not only return to winning ways, but to put a few goals past the Saints to go into the international break on a high.

Manchester City will hope to return to winning ways going into the international break

Manchester City will hope to return to winning ways going into the international break

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