Man City vs. Liverpool: Pep Guardiola’s side out to break impressive 145-year FA Cup record in quarter-final clash

Manchester City will endeavor to break an FA Cup record which has stood for a whopping 145 years when they welcome Liverpool to the Etihad Stadium for a quarter-final tie on Saturday lunchtime.

The Citizens head into this contest after winning the EFL Cup a fortnight ago, courtesy of a deserved 2-0 victory over Premier League title rivals Arsenal in the final at Wembley Stadium.

Pep Guardiola’s men are eyeing up another trip to the home of football, and victory over a familiar foe in the form of Liverpool would see them progress to a record-extending eighth successive FA Cup semi-final.

Man City have remarkably won 19 of their last 21 matches in the FA Cup over the last four seasons, with their only two defeats coming in the 2024 and 2025 finals against Man United and Crystal Palace respectively.

At the Etihad, Manchester City have assembled an impressive 17-game winning streak in the FA Cup and success over Arne Slot’s side would see them surpass Clapham Rovers’ long-standing winning home record (17 between 1873 and 1881) to establish the most dominant home run the competition has ever seen.

Guardiola eyeing up “another incredible milestone” with Man City

Guardiola was thrilled to see his Man City side win their first piece of silverware prior to the international break, and his focused has already shifted towards pushing for another trophy.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Guardiola said: “[EFL Cup glory] was a long time ago already. It’s better and nice to win another title.

“It’s not the most prestigious one but the fact is it’s another chance to play against the best team in Europe so far in the Premier League and the Champions League. It was a good test against a good team.

“We finished one and think of the next one. Tomorrow we have chance to make another incredible milestone - eight semi-finals in a row.

“It’s never happened. This is a prestigious competition. Another game against a special opponent for us. Hopefully [the fans] can help us celebrate the title won and reach another semi-final.”

Guardiola is particularly proud of how his Man City sides from over the years - excluding last season - have consistently been challenging for trophies and reaching the latter stages of competitions.

“Since we won the first Premier League we have now won six Premier Leagues now and won five [EFL Cups], seven semi-finals in the FA Cup and four finals,” the Catalan said. “That defines the club, the consistency.

“In cups, all the time you can have a bad afternoon. You are not always playing League One, League Two or Premier League teams, you can have a bad afternoon but it didn’t happen. Always we were there.

“That’s what makes me proud the most. You can win a title and make a good season. Seven semi-finals in a row and to fight for an eighth in the FA Cup is really, really good.”

Liverpool remain Man City’s “biggest rival”, says Guardiola

On Saturday’s opponents Liverpool, Guardiola added: “I have said many times, it has been the biggest rival.

“It’s a team that made an incredible investment last season to be there for many, many years.

“It’s in the Champions League. It’s a top contender with top class players all of them and hopefully we perform the level like we did against Arsenal to make the next step.”

Man City have already beaten Liverpool home and away in the Premier League this season, most recently winning 2-1 at Anfield in February, but they have lost their last four FA Cup home ties with the Reds.