Favorites Manchester City will travel down south to Bournemouth to stake a claim for the last semi-final spot in the 2024-25 FA Cup as Pep Guardiola’s last hope for a trophy in the ongoing season rests on this match while the much-improved Bournemouth would be looking to script history on Sunday.
The two sides have already met this season at the Vitality Stadium and the Cherries ran out 2-1 winners courtesy of Antoine Semenyo and Evanlison’s goals scored either side of the half-time whistle to give Bournemouth their first win against the Sky Blues in 22 matches.
Learn more about the odds, team news, picks, and predictions for the crucial FA Cup quarter-final between Bournemouth and Manchester City here.
Here is when and where to watch the clash between Bournemouth and Manchester City.
Date: 03/30
Time: 11:30 am ET
Location: Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Where to watch: The match can be watched on ESPN+ in the USA
Before the start of the 2024-25 season, Bournemouth and Manchester City met 21 times, and the Cherries failed to procure a single win as the Cityzens asserted their dominance with 15 consecutive wins in the 21st century at a positive goal difference of 39. Andoni Iraola’s side achieved the unthinkable as Manchester City couldn’t arrest their slump, allowing the 2014-15 Championship winners to walk away with a victory.
lraola’s men are in the top half of the Premier League table despite being winless in their last four league matches and would be aiming to repeat the heroics of the 2016-17 season where they finished 9th. With a clear identity going forward, Iraola has ensured that his side has always played positive football and even scored more goals than teams sitting above them in the PL standings, like Fulham and Aston Villa.
After delivering a 5-star performance against West Brom in the third round, Bournemouth swatted aside two Premier League teams, Everton and Wolves to qualify for the quarter-final. The Cherries will miss the services of long-term absentees Enes Unal, Luis Sinisterra, and Adam Smith, while Marcos Senesi and Julian Araujo might be fit enough to feature from the bench against the 2023-24 FA Cup champions.
The only ‘Big Six’ team remaining in the competition is Manchester City, who consider a trophyless season a disaster, and Guardiola would be focussing all his energies on the domestic cup in order to secure a trophy from the ongoing season. The Spaniard has seen his side falter again and again this season as they sit in fifth position with 48 points from 29 matches and could even miss out on a UEFA Champions League spot for the 2025-26 season.
After defeating League Two’s Salford City 8-0 in the third round, City drew another one of the lower league sides in Leyton Orient, and then defeated Championship strugglers Plymouth Argyle 3-1 in the fifth round. The trio of Manuel Akanji, John Stones, and Nathan Ake is not available for the Bournemouth fixture due to their respective injuries, while Ederson is close to full fitness, and Bernardo Silva might be fit enough to feature in the tie as well.
The Playoffs aim to facilitate the safest bets for the game. Have a look at the predictions for the game below.
Bournemouth Total goals Over 1.5 @ -103 (MGM Bet): With Justin Kluivert experiencing a breakout season, Bournemouth fans would be in for a treat if he could trouble the makeshift Manchester City defense with the support of Semenyo, Marcus Tavernier, and Evanlison as the attacking quartet has a total of 49 goal contribution across the Premier League and FA Cup this season.
Erling Haaland (To Score a Goal @ +130 as per MGM Bet): Erling Haaland has made a habit of winning Golden Boots at a young age but the Norweigian sensation is set to miss out on awards this season as he trails Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah by 6 goals in the Premier League. The striker has no goals in the 2024-25 FA Cup and has only played 31 minutes this season in domestic cup competitions.
Bournemouth has reached the FA Cup quarter-final on two previous occasions previously and the Cherries would be hoping that the third time is the charm as they aim to qualify for the FA Cup semi-final for the first time in the club’s history. On the other hand, City has qualified for the FA Cup semi-final for six seasons consecutively and would be aiming to extend the record by making it seven in a row.
Our Final Prediction: A 2-1 win for Manchester City could be on the cards as they face a Premier League opposition for the first time in the ongoing FA Cup campaign.
ALSO READ: Fulham vs Crystal Palace Odds & Predictions
