MADRID, 15 Apr. (SportsFinding) –
Manchester City and Liverpool face each other again this Saturday (4:30 p.m.) in the FA Cup semi-finals to be played at Wembley, just six days after the big match, without a prize for either team (2-2), which they provided at the Etihad Stadium to keep the fight for the Premier League alive.
The two English giants arrive in high spirits after advancing to the semifinals of the Champions League, leaving Atlético de Madrid (1-0 on aggregate) on the way, in the case of the ‘citizens’, and Benfica (6-4), those of Jurgen Klopp.
Last Sunday City and Liverpool left a great football show, in an open match with exchange of blows from both teams. An attractive duel for the fans, but that leaves everything as it was in the Premier, with Guardiola’s men leading the table with 74 points, one above the ‘reds’, who are still on the lookout for the ‘citizens’.
Both teams arrive at this Saturday’s game with a more than positive streak; They are at their best moment of the season, with very high physical and football levels. Those from Manchester, who knew how to suffer at the Metropolitan in their most stingy version, have reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in four of the last five seasons, although they only advanced to the final on one occasion, without scoring a goal in their last two semis .
But Guardiola’s side have gone ten games (6 wins and 4 draws) undefeated, keeping a clean sheet seven times. Furthermore, he has beaten Liverpool in their two most recent meetings at Wembley.
After recovering the Portuguese Rúben Dias, the Catalan coach has doubts due to physical discomfort from the Belgian Kevin De Bruyne and the winger Kyle Walker, while the German Jurgen Klopp has all his players available.
The ‘reds’, who rested key players in the match against Benfica, want to continue their great dynamic, since they have only lost one game so far in 2022, adding only four draws since the start of the new year.
They now seek their first FA Cup final since 2012, making their first appearance in the tournament’s semi-finals since the 2014/15 season. Seven times champion, his last title of this Cup dates back to 2006. In addition, it would be the first final of this trophy for Jurgen Klopp, while City, six times champion of the oldest Cup in the world, lifted the trophy for the last time in 2019 against Watford.
TOTTENHAM-BRIGTHON AND UNITED-NORWICH, ATTRACTIVE IN THE PREMIERE
Without Premier games for Liverpool and Manchester City, Manchester United, seventh with 51 points, wants to speed up their chances of entering European positions, with Arsenal, fifth in the table, just three points away. But those of Rangnick come from drawing against Leicester (1-1) and losing against Everton (1-0), so they do not arrive with the best feelings.
And if the three points are necessary for the ‘Red Devils’, they are even more so for Norwich, United’s rival on this matchday 33. The ‘Canaries’ occupy the position of red lantern with 21 units, seven from salvation, for what storming Old Trafford seems like the last great opportunity to continue dreaming of maintaining the category. And his good streak, with two games undefeated, helps the Auriverde fans believe.
Also on Saturday, a Tottenham-Brigthon will be played, with some locals that go from win to win, after decisively beating West Ham (3-1), Newcastle (5-1) and Aston Villa (0-4) and connecting four consecutive wins. A great dynamic that consolidates the ‘Spurs’ in fourth place with 57 points.
Brigthon also arrives on a positive streak, who beat Arsenal on the last day (1-2). However, the ‘seagulls’ live in the temperate zone of the classification, 11th with 37 points, far from danger and with little chance of fighting for Europe. On Saturday it will close with Southampton-Arsenal and Watford-Brentford.
Sunday’s main course will be West Ham-Burnley, with the ‘hammers’ grown after reaching the semifinals of the Europa League and sixth in the table with 51 points. This season they are the most serious alternative to the ‘Big Six’ and they dream of getting into Champions League positions. In their last game they fell to Brentford, but as locals they haven’t lost since January 16.
Burnley, penultimate with 24 points and immersed in the fight for salvation, wants to forget their defeat against Norwich (2-0) and start adding to get out of the well, although as a visitor they have only added nine points this season. A Newcastle-Leicester will also be played on Sunday, with Wolves-City postponed for the FA Cup.