FA Cup Quarterfinal Predictions: Man City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea Target Semis

Wembley is calling, and four Premier League heavyweights are determined to answer. With only eight clubs left in the 2025–26 FA Cup, this weekend’s quarterfinal ties will decide which sides keep their dreams of lifting the famous trophy alive. Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea all harbour realistic ambitions of reaching the national stadium, but the path is anything but straightforward.

City, fresh from a statement win at St James’ Park, return to the Etihad to face a Liverpool side that has looked short of its usual swagger. While the Reds memorably triumphed in Manchester last season en route to the title, the return fixture last November ended in a chastening defeat, and Pep Guardiola’s men will fancy another home victory to edge closer to a domestic cup double.

Arsenal, meanwhile, travel to the south coast to take on a resurgent Southampton. The Saints have not lost in 14 matches and dispatched Fulham with ease in the previous round. Mikel Arteta’s squad has been managing a raft of minor knocks, yet the medical staff expect the bulk of his options to be available at St Mary’s, where the Championship outfit will hope to extend their giant-killing run.

Chelsea, no strangers to falling victim to lower-league opposition, host League One’s Port Vale at Stamford Bridge. The Potters shocked Sunderland in the fifth round and arrive in west London with nothing to lose. The Blues, however, have avoided an FA Cup upset against EFL opposition since a 4–2 home defeat to Bradford City during José Mourinho’s second tenure and will be wary of another banana skin.

The weekend’s action concludes on Sunday with a high-stakes clash between West Ham United and Leeds United. Both clubs have struggled in the league, making a trip to Wembley even more valuable. West Ham last won the competition in 1980, while Leeds’ sole triumph came in 1972. With survival worries looming on the horizon for both, the quarterfinal offers a rare chance for silverware and respite.

Southampton vs Arsenal and Chelsea vs Port Vale take centre stage on Saturday, followed by West Ham vs Leeds on Sunday. Manchester City and Liverpool meet at the Etihad in the pick of the ties, with a semifinal berth—and the prospect of a Wembley day out—on the line.