FA Cup: Manchester City vs Liverpool - Betting Tips, Odds & Prediction

Manchester City and Liverpool lock horns at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday morning New Zealand time in an FA Cup quarter-final with massive consequences for both clubs. City are chasing a domestic cup double. Liverpool, fifth in the Premier League with 10 defeats, desperately need silverware.

I’ve put together this Manchester City vs Liverpool preview looking at both sides’ form and the injury concerns. I’ve also got a result-goals combo above $3.00 on the best online sports betting sites that I think has a strong chance.

Manchester City

City have already beaten Liverpool twice this season - 3-0 at the Etihad in November, 2-1 at Anfield in February - their first league double over them since 1937. Their Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal was clinical too, with Nico O’Reilly heading in twice. This is a squad full of belief.

Pep Guardiola serves a two-match suspension here, so Pepijn Lijnders takes charge - and he knows Liverpool inside out from years as Jurgen Klopp’s assistant. Erling Haaland has 22 Premier League goals. Antoine Semenyo has 15. Doku’s dribbling adds another dimension entirely, and at the Etihad, City have won seven of their last nine.

Team News: Gvardiol is out with a broken leg. Stones (calf) and Dias (hamstring) are both doubtful. Guehi is eligible and should start. Haaland is fit.

Predicted Lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Ake, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rodri, Reijnders; Semenyo, Foden, Doku; Haaland.

Liverpool

Ten Premier League defeats. That’s where Liverpool are at this season. They lost 2-1 at Brighton before the break and drew with Spurs before that, and while their 4-0 second-leg demolition of Galatasaray was emphatic, it doesn’t magically fix everything. Eight Premier League goals conceded in the 90th minute or later this season - a club record.

Florian Wirtz has been the creative spark and Hugo Ekitike has 11 league goals up front. Mohamed Salah missed the Brighton loss with a groin issue but is expected back, which changes Liverpool’s threat level considerably. Slot will go strong here despite having PSG in the Champions League days later. He has to.

Team News: Alisson is doubtful. Frimpong picked up another muscle injury on Netherlands duty. Bradley and Leoni are long-term knee absentees, while Endo (ankle) and Bajcetic are also out for the season. Chiesa pulled out of Italy’s squad. Isak could get on the bench but won’t start. Salah and Ekitike should be available.

Predicted Lineup: Mamardashvili; Gomez, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Szoboszlai; Ekitike

• City have won both Premier League meetings this season: 3-0 at the Etihad and 2-1 at Anfield.
• Liverpool have lost three of their last four away matches across all competitions.
• City have scored in nine of their last 10 home matches, with over 2.5 goals in eight of those.
• Liverpool have conceded in seven of their last eight Premier League away games.
• The last FA Cup meeting between these sides was the 2022 semi-final, which Liverpool won 3-2.

City’s cup pedigree under Guardiola is hard to argue with: eight consecutive FA Cup quarter-finals. They won the Carabao Cup before the break and barely broke a sweat doing it. Rodri controls the tempo, Haaland punishes any half-chance, and the Etihad crowd will be right up for it.

The Lijnders factor is interesting here. He spent years at Liverpool studying their pressing triggers and defensive transitions. Now he’s using that against them. Not sure how much tactical advantage that gives City on the day, but it certainly doesn’t help Liverpool.

Where I’d give Liverpool hope is in City’s centre-back situation. Gvardiol is out with a broken leg. Stones and Dias are both doubtful. That leaves Ake and Guehi as the likely pairing - solid enough in most weeks, but against Salah’s pace and Wirtz drifting into pockets? That’s a different proposition.

I’m backing City, but not cleanly. Liverpool’s away record is poor and their defence leaks goals at an alarming rate. Both league meetings went City’s way too. But Salah and Wirtz are capable of punishing that makeshift back line, and I’d be surprised if this ends 1-0 or 2-0. If you’re keen on football betting tips for this one, the goals angle is where I’d start.

Manchester City to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $3.20

Six goals across the two league meetings. City averaging 2.4 per game at the Etihad, and Liverpool shipping late goals all campaign. I can’t see this being cagey.

Haaland against a backline missing its first-choice full-backs is a mismatch. But Salah’s return and Wirtz’s creativity mean Liverpool will score too - they just won’t score enough. City to win in a match where both sides find the net, $3.20 on betting apps NZ. I’m happy to back it.