London, April 2 (IANS) The Premier League will have to wait to resume after the international break, with the four FA Cup quarterfinals taking centre stage in England this weekend. The timing of the quarterfinals appears unusual, as it means some Premier League sides will not play between March 22 and April 10 or 11, a three-week break just as the season enters its decisive stage.
However, Chelsea coach Liam Rosenior should welcome a return to action as his side faces Port Vale for a place in the semifinals.
Premier League defeats to Newcastle United and Everton, along with an 8-2 Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain before the break, have increased the pressure on Rosenior, whose side has not won since a 4-2 victory after extra time against second-division Wrexham in the fifth round, reports Xinhua.
Port Vale will visit Stamford Bridge, the bottom of League One, the third division, and although it produced the shock of the previous round with a 1-0 home win over Sunderland, Chelsea should be expected to win comfortably. In the current circumstances, however, anything other than a convincing victory would bring further pressure on the coach.
Manchester City at home to Liverpool is the standout match of the round, with Pep Guardiola’s side chasing a cup double after its triumph in the Carabao Cup. With Manchester City out of Europe and nine points behind Arsenal in the Premier League, Guardiola has every reason to field his strongest side in the FA Cup as he looks to end the season with two trophies.
Liverpool travel to Paris in the Champions League next Wednesday, leaving coach Arne Slot with a dilemma. Winning the FA Cup would salvage something from a disappointing season, but he will also need his best players fresh to face the European champions.
The good news for Slot is that Hugo Ekitike, Mohamed Salah, and Alisson Becker should all be available, while Alexander Isak is back in training after breaking his leg in December, although it is too early for him to return to action.
Plenty of attention will be paid to Arsenal’s starting lineup away to second-division Southampton after a number of the club’s players, including Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Martin Zubimendi, and Noni Madueke, left their national teams with physical issues in recent days.
Some players, such as Eberechi Eze, will not be fit, but at least Martin Odegaard should be available to ease coach Mikel Arteta’s concerns.
The fourth quarterfinal is between Premier League strugglers West Ham and Leeds United in what should be an even contest between two sides that would welcome FA Cup success but have top-flight survival as their main priority this season.
–IANS
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