We’re down to the last four teams in the 2021 FA Cup and have an all Premier League semi-final weekend to look forward to.
Manchester City, Southampton and Chelsea all made it through without too many scares and the cup quarter finals were concluded by a clash at the King Power Stadium where Leicester City booked their place with a victory over Manchester United.
And with the semi-final draw already made, we know the line-up for the final four: The Foxes play the Saints while Manchester City face Chelsea; two cracking ties.
City’s quadruple dreams still on track
Everton 0-2 Manchester City
No-one is allowed to speak of it at the Etihad, and Pep Guardiola recently slapped down his wing-back Oleksandr Zinchenko for suggesting a historic quadruple is the target for Manchester City. But after beating Everton they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup; they are in the EFL Cup Final, the Champions League quarter finals and are 14 points clear in the Premier League.
I make it six cup games they need to navigate, and having won 25 of the last 26, in all competitions, the quadruple looks on to me.
The FA Cup 2021 betting odds have installed Manchester City as clear favourites, and keep your eyes on the SBOTOP odds for the other three competitions and you’ll see a similar story.
The Sky Blues booked their place in the FA Cup semi-finals with a late show against the Toffees when Ilkay Gundogan nodded home on 84 minutes before Kevin de Bruyne blasted home the second.
Earlier in the game Zinchenko made a goal-line clearance to deny Yerry Mina, he still believes City can do it!
Everton’s Goodison gloom is yet to be lifted after this loss was the fourth in five games on home soil.
Foxes too good for Red Devils
Leicester City 3-1 Manchester United
It’s hard to understand what the Manchester United defence was thinking when they teed up Kelechi Iheanacho for the opener in this game. Harry Maguire passed to Fred just outside the visitors’ penalty area and he hurriedly passed it back, into the path of the Leicester striker and he slid the ball past a helpless Dean Henderson. United hit back with their first shot in anger when Paul Pogba squared for Donny Van de Beek who flicked a clever ball back to Mason Greenwood and he stroked the ball home.
Youri Tielemens restored Leicester’s lead early in the second half with a driving run and a superb finish into the bottom left-hand corner, giving Henderson no chance. Jamie Vardy uncharacteristically missed a sitter before Iheanacho took advantage of more slack defending to nod home his second.
Blue is the colour
Chelsea 2-0 Sheffield United
Of the four quarter final FA Cup 2021 results this was arguably the easiest to call, as the Premier League’s bottom club headed to West London to take on in-form Chelsea. The Blues have been improving steadily since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel, climbing into the top four and impressively dispatching Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
But it wasn’t as comfortable for the hosts as the score-line might suggest. After an Oliver Norwood own goal had given Chelsea a first half lead the Blades battled back with a spirited show in the second period. David McGoldrick missed a sitter of a header and Rhian Brewster smashed a good chance into the side-netting, before Hakim Ziyech settled matters for good, deep into injury time, to give Tuchel ten wins in his first 14 games as head coach at Stamford Bridge.
The Cherries are not ready for a Premier League return
Bournemouth 0-3 Southampton
After five all-action seasons in the top flight under Eddie Howe, Bournemouth dropped through the trap door last season and were hopeful of bouncing back. But Howe left the club and his former number two, Jason Tindall took the head coach position. Despite losing centre back Nathan Ake, it was all going well for the new boss until the Cherries went on a run of one win in eight and Tindall was potted in February, to be replaced by Jonathan Woodgate. Since then Bournemouth have dropped out of the top six and are in danger of missing out on a play-off spot.
On the evidence of Southampton’s comfortable South Coast derby win the Cherries aren’t good enough for a quick return to the top flight. The Saints have been on a dreadful run and need a couple of wins to ensure their safety, but two goals and an assist from Nathan Redmond showed just how far Bournemouth have fallen.
It’s a morale booster for the Saints who should allay any lingering relegation fears before too long, quite possibly before they continue their FA Cup adventure.
The semi-finals will take place on the weekend of the 17th April when the four remaining teams are one step away from the biggest domestic final in world football.
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