The FA Cup is England’s oldest and most prestigious domestic trophy. Season after season, the FA Cup delivers, and the 2024/25 campaign has been no different as the competition reaches the quarter-finals stage. Once again, the tournament has proven the magic of the cup is well and truly alive, with underdogs rising to defeat much stronger opposition. Now, with only eight teams remaining, we’re taking a look at each fixture to see where each game could be ultimately won and lost.
Sat March 29
Fulham vs Crystal Palace
The FA Cup quarter-finals actions kick-off at Craven Cottage with a London derby in the form of Fulham vs Crystal Palace. Marco Silva’s side defeated defending champions Manchester United in the fifth round on penalties, and they’ll have taken great confidence from their win at Old Trafford. Palace handled a London derby well in the last round, winning 3-1 at home against Millwall, but they’re yet to come up against top-flight opposition in the competition this season.
With both Fulham and Palace operating in the Premier League, a look at the results of their league fixtures shows that Marco Silva’s team headed to Selhurst Park and won 2-0 earlier in the season. However, Oliver Glasner had his side primed to return the favour, with the Eagles winning 2-0 at Craven Cottage a few weeks ago. These results only serve to add to the intrigue, as they show that each team is capable of winning on their day.
At the time of writing, both teams are in relatively good form. They’re mainly sides that either win or lose, with hardly any draws in their recent run of fixtures. This will be handy at the FA Cup quarter-final stage, as it’s a winner-takes-all affair. What can also be gleaned from this fixture is that there will definitely be a London-based outfit heading into the semi-finals. However, at the moment, it’s too close to call to determine which of the two will triumph, as both have it in their locker to win. Could Fulham exact revenge on Palace for what happened in February?
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup quarter-finals could be the pick of the fixtures for multiple reasons. The first of those reasons is that both Brighton and Forest are enjoyed excellent Premier League campaigns, with European football on the cards for both next term. The Seagulls are looking good for a top-six finish at a minimum, while Nuno’s Forest are the surprise package of the season, looking on course to qualify for the Champions League. If the league finished as it is right now, both clubs would be delighted.
Brighton have defeated Premier League opposition in the form of Chelsea and Newcastle in the previous two rounds, while visitors Nottingham Forest overcame top-flight Ipswich Town on penalties in the last round. However, it’s arguably what these two teams know about each other from their Premier League meetings this season that could make all the difference in this one.
Brighton hosted Forest at the Amex quite early in the 2024/25 season, with the final scoreline being 2-2, with not much between the two teams. Then, on February 1, Fabian Hurzeler’s team travelled to the City Ground after losing 1-0 at home to Everton in their previous outing to run out 7-0 losers on the day.
Brighton’s 7-0 reverse at the hands of Forst remains one of the shock results of the season, and it could add some extra spice to their meeting in the FA Cup quarter-finals, with the Seagulls eager to gain revenge on Forest. But do Nuno’s men simply have Brighton’s number?
Sun March 30
Preston North End vs Aston Villa
Preston North End are the only team from outside the Premier League left in the competition. And while Paul Heckingbottom’s team are coming up against top-flight opposition for the first time in this year’s FA Cup when they face Aston Villa, having previously defeated Charlton, Wycombe, and Burnley, Preston vs Aston Villa isn’t a foregone conclusion as an away win. Of course, Villa are a strong opponent for anyone, especially a second-tier side, but they’ve lacked consistency overall this season.
So far in the FA Cup, Villa have defeated West Ham, Spurs, and Cardiff City, proving they mean business where the competition is concerned in 2024/25. Unai Emery’s side dream of picking up some silverware and will see the FA Cup as a great opportunity, especially with some so-called big hitters having already been eliminated. However, what’s worked against the Villians this term is their ability to perform at the top of their game across multiple competitions.
Heading into the FA Cup quarter-finals, Emery’s team are still competing in the Champions League and are likely to progress to the quarter-finals in that competition. And they still harbour hopes of a strong finish in the top flight. With a hectic schedule, could this open the door for Preston to cause an upset?
It’s certainly something that Heckingbottom will try and work to his team’s advantage, especially when Preston are likely midtable bound in the Championship. With the game taking place at Deepdale too, this is a fixture where an upset could occur in the right circumstances.
Bournemouth vs Manchester City
In seasons gone by, any Bournemouth vs Manchester City fixture, played at any venue, would have been more or less straightforward to call. City have dominated English football for years, and they’re serial winners. That was until 2024/25 when they no longer look like the force of old, and this means the FA Cup quarter-final match between Bournemouth and Pep Guardiola’s side just got a whole load more interesting, even though it’s the away side who start as the narrow favourites to win.
Bournemouth are enjoying a fine top-flight campaign. They’re currently sat in the top 8, and they’re just three points short of City, who are 5th in the table at the time of writing. However, in many ways, that doesn’t tell the whole story. The two teams have only met once so far in the league; that game was a Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium, and it was Andoni Iraola’s side that ran out 2-1 winners on the day. This was City’s first defeat in an unprecedented four-game losing streak in the Premier League.
Of course, the FA Cup is another kettle of fish entirely. But while Bournemouth have defeated Premier League opposition in Wolves and Everton in the last two rounds, City have only faced teams from leagues below, and at times, they’ve laboured. They went behind to Plymouth before defeating them 3-1. There’s no doubt that Iraola’s men will fancy their chances of a repeat performance from November on their way to the FA Cup semi-finals and a chance of winning some silverware.
The FA Cup is not only a gateway to glory and silverware for teams, it’s also a route into European football and a chance for a club to say they’ve had a good season. The FA Cup quarter-finals are wide open, with holders Manchester United already out, as well as other strong teams like Liverpool and Arsenal. Manchester City, for all their struggles, remain the favourites to win the competition according to FA Cup outright betting, but every team will fancy their chances at this stage.
