Man Utd and Man City avoid each other in FA Cup quarter-finals
Because Tottenham were eliminated in the fifth round, the quarterfinals of the FA Cup were left with only two teams in the "Big 6" group, Man Utd and Man City. After the draw, these two teams were played at home in the quarterfinals, meeting Fulham and Burnley respectively. The remaining two matches are Sheffield United - Blackburn and Brighton - Grimsby Town.
Man Utd will play at Old Trafford for the fourth consecutive match in the FA Cup this season, when their draw is drawn against Fulham. Despite avoiding Man City, Ten Hag's teachers and students also faced a big challenge when Fulham was ranked seventh in the Premier League. However, "Red Devils" have not lost the last 15 matches against this opponent.
Man City meet a lower-class opponent, although Burnley is leading the first division with a big gap. This match is also notable when coach Vincent Kompany returns to the Etihad to compete with his old teacher Pep Guardiola. During his time playing, midfielder Kompany played 360 games for Man City between 2008-2019, scoring 20 goals and winning 12 trophies, including two FA Cups.
The most disparate match in the quarter-finals took place between Brighton and Grimsby Town in League Two - equivalent to the fourth place in England. In the fifth round, Grimsby unexpectedly won 2-1 at Southampton to continue the fairy tale in the FA Cup. For the first time in 84 years, they reached the quarterfinals again.
The English First Division will certainly have a representative in the semi-finals, when Sheffield United take on Blackburn. This is the first time since 2008, the quarter-finals of the FA Cup have only four Premier League teams left.
Man City will play the quarter-finals on March 18, and Man Utd will play a day later. In the fifth round, Man Utd beat West Ham 3-1 at Old Trafford, and Man City beat the host Bristol City 3-0. The last time the Manchester derby appeared in the FA Cup was on January 8, 2012, when Man Utd won 3-2 on the field of Man City.
