Prediction: Manchester City vs Burnley

Prediction: Manchester City to win 2-0

Best Odds: 5/1

Bookmaker: Betfair

Manchester City and Burnley will face each other in the FA Cup this coming weekend. The quarter-final tie between the defending Premier League champions and the Championship club will be held at the Etihad Stadium and is scheduled to kick off at 5:45pm UK time on Saturday.

Manchester City

Manchester City are still doing well this season, but there is a feeling that the defending Premier League champions are not at the level they have been in years gone by. While the Citizens could still win the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup this season, they are not playing as well as they generally do.

City are second in the Premier League table at the moment with 61 points from 27 matches. The Citizens are five points behind leaders Arsenal. Pep Guardiola’s side could not win against RB Leipzig in Germany in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. It ended in a 1-1 draw. City did not win the Carabao Cup this season either; city rivals Manchester United won it.

The Citizens got the better of Crystal Palace away from home at Selhurst Park in London in the Premier League this past weekend. It followed a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium in the league. City will take on RB Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 on Tuesday evening.

Team News:

Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is likely to start for Manchester City. The midfielder did not start against Crystal Palace in the Premier League this past weekend. Right-back Kyle Walker could also start, while English centre-back John Stone should be in the starting lineup as well.

Burnley

Burnley are doing extremely well at the moment. Under former Manchester City central defender Vincent Kompany, the Clarets have blown away everyone in the Championship and look set to win automatic promotion to the Premier League at the end of the season. And they are still in the FA Cup.

The Clarets are at the top of the Championship table at the moment with 80 points from 36 matches. Burnley are as many as 13 points clear of second-placed Sheffield United. With just 10 more rounds of matches left in the regular season, unless Burnley suffer a dramatic collapse, they will end up in the top two.

Burnley got the better of Wigan Athletic 3-0 at Turf Moor in the Championship this past weekend. It followed a goalless draw with Blackpool away from home in the league and came after a 1-0 victory over Fleetwood Town at Turf Moor in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Kompany’s side will take on Hull City away from home in the Championship on Wednesday evening.

Team News:

Burnley are likely to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Barnes will lead the line for the Clarets, while Tella will be the central attacking midfielder. Muric will start in goal.

Key Factor to Consider

• Burnley have won 3 of their last 5 Championship matches.
• Burnley have scored 71 goals in 36 Championship matches so far this season.
• Phil Foden has scored 3 goals in 2 FA Cup appearances for Manchester City so far this campaign.
• Manchester City have scored 67 goals in 27 Premier League matches so far this campaign.
• Erling Haaland has scored 34 goals and given 5 assists in 35 appearances for Manchester City so far this campaign.

Conclusion

Manchester City have arguably the best squad in England and have some world-class players. Manager Pep Guardiola could make a few changes to his normal starting lineup, but the team would still be far superior to that of Burnley. It is hard to see anything but a win for the Premier League club in this particular FA Cup tie.

Prediction: Manchester City to win 2-0

Best Odds: 5/1

Bookmaker: Betfair