Amidst Tumultuous Seasons, Man City and Man Utd Turn Their Attention to the FA Cup

Manchester City’s aspirations for silverware this season now hinge entirely on the FA Cup as they prepare to host second-tier Plymouth this Saturday. At the same time, holders Manchester United find themselves in urgent need of a trophy to salvage a dismal campaign.

With Premier League frontrunners Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham already eliminated, the path is clear for the Manchester clubs, who have met in the finals for the past two years.

Brighton, Newcastle, and Crystal Palace are among the other teams aiming for glory at Wembley on May 17th.

Here, AFP Sport highlights some of the most exciting matchups from this weekend’s fifth round:

Crystal Palace, who have finished as runners-up in the FA Cup twice without ever lifting a major trophy, are finding their rhythm just in time to make a run for Wembley this year.

Coach Oliver Glasner’s side has secured seven victories in their last nine matches across all competitions, recently overpowering Aston Villa with a 4-1 win midweek.

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s impressive form, netting eight goals in nine games, has helped elevate the Eagles away from relegation worries and up to 12th in the Premier League.

Now, they’ll face a local derby against Championship rivals Millwall, who are eager to thwart the ambitions of their south London counterparts.

Plymouth’s fairy-tale run in the fourth round saw them pull off a surprising 1-0 victory over Liverpool at Home Park.

Their reward? A visit to the Etihad Stadium, where they have the chance to create another sensational upset.

Plymouth manager Miron Muslic has gained internet fame after snippets of his motivational speeches went viral, and he can hardly wait to match wits with his coaching idol, Pep Guardiola.

“This is the greatest honour of my life,” Muslic expressed.

“I can’t wait to shake his hand and tell him that he’s a titan of our sport and an immense, inspirational figure for every coach worldwide.”

Arguably, the most captivating tie of the round features sixth-placed Newcastle taking on eighth-placed Brighton.

The Magpies are already looking forward to a League Cup final against Liverpool next month and cannot risk letting their season’s fate rest solely on a match against the potential champions.

Brighton, under Fabian Hurzeler’s management, have bounced back with four consecutive wins after a rocky start to the season. They triumphed at St. James’ Park earlier in the campaign and consistently rise to the occasion against formidable opponents.

Newcastle’s chances will largely depend on the condition of their prolific striker, Alexander Isak, who missed Wednesday’s 2-0 loss at Liverpool due to a groin strain, having netted 21 times this season.

Meanwhile, United salvaged a chaotic campaign last season by defeating City to lift the Cup, but many doubt Ruben Amorim’s side can replicate that success.

Despite a tumultuous season, the Red Devils displayed resilience by overcoming Ipswich 3-2 on Wednesday, even though they faced a first-half red card for Patrick Dorgu—only their third league win in 11 attempts.

Fulham find themselves nine points clear and five places ahead of United in the Premier League, yet they have suffered 1-0 defeats in both encounters against the Red Devils this season.

The Cottagers not only seek retribution for those losses but also for a contentious FA Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford two years ago, where they led 1-0 until captain Aleksandar Mitrovic and Willian were both sent off after a handball incident involving Willian. United ultimately came back to win 3-1, and Mitrovic faced an eight-game ban for his confrontation with referee Chris Kavanagh.