Manchester City host Liverpool on Saturday in what is the standout tie of the FA Cup quarterfinals. Man City come into this one as the favorite, as it’s easy to see why. Not only are they the side that’s having the better season; they’re much healthier too. John Stones, Ruben Dias, Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol are their only injury absentees.
Manager Pep Guardiola does not have a ton of selection issues to contend with right now.
FA Cup Quarterfinals FYIs
Liverpool at Manchester City
Kickoff: Sat. April 4, 12:45pm, Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
Team News: Manchester City Liverpool Part 1 Liverpool Part 2
Full Detailed Injury Lists: Manchester City Liverpool
How They Got Here:
Manchester City: Newcastle 3-1, Salford City 2-0, Exeter City 10-1
Liverpool: Wolves 3-1, Brighton 3-0, Barnsley 4-1
Man City Team News
John Stones, 31, who will see his contract expire in June, returned to the club early from the England national team camp, due to a calf injury. However, it’s not too serious, according to Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel:
“John was gutted he had this minor incident, not a big injury. Given the history, we had to be careful; it made no sense to push him through and try stuff that could make it worse.”
Elsewhere, Dias missed out on the EFL Cup triumph, due to a hamstring injury. So he’s a doubt, at minimum for this one. Meanwhile Gvardiol remains sidelined as he recovers from a tibial fracture in his right leg, which he suffered back in January.
His return will likely come towards the end of the month while Kovacic (out since October with an ankle injury) is finally nearing a return. It may not be in this match, but it won’t be far off!
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.