Manchester City vs. Liverpool: FA Cup Quarter Final 2025-26 Preview & Team News

Giorgi Mamardashvili of Liverpool walks out prior to the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool at Amex Stadium on March 21, 2026 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) | Liverpool FC via Getty Images MANCHESTER CITY VS. LIVERPOOL | Saturday, April 4th | FA Cup Quarter Final | Etihad 12:45PM BST/7:45AM EST Manchester City come into this one triumphant, having just lifted the League Cup at Arsenal’s expense.

Prior to their League Cup final win, however, Pep Guardiola’s men saw themselves decisively out of the Champions League after losing both legs against Real Madrid and drawing away to West Ham United in the Premier League at the weekend. City are technically still competing for the League title as they sit nine points behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand (and a game against Arsenal themselves still to be played), but the FA Cup very much feels like their most realistic hope of more silverware this season. They’ve had their ups and downs: the Manchester City sides of seasons past would be far and away at the top of the league, which has required far less perfection than previous seasons have done, and yet they’ve lacked a cutting edge in the run-in here.

They did decisively beat Liverpool in the league twice already this season, though, as the Reds have also certainly had ups and downs thus far. Liverpool have won the last four domestic cup ties against Manchester City, most recently in the 2020/21 competition that ended with Liverpool’s name etched on the trophy most recently. Overall, the Reds have progressed from 17 out of their last 19 quarter final ties.

Meanwhile, City have won 17 straight home FA Cup matches, and are looking to make this one an outright record (they’re currently level with an 1873 to 1881 run by Clapham Rovers). This would also be City’s eighth successive semi-final should they defeat Liverpool. Manchester City lifted a trophy 12 days ago.