Ex-England and Chelsea star Joe Cole says he has a ‘sneaky feeling’ Manchester City will go all the way in which on this 12 months’s FA Cup to lift the trophy for an eighth time.
City secured the primary piece of silverware of the season courtesy of a Nico O’Reilly-inspired victory over Arsenal in last month’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
And while Pep Guardiola’s men were denied a spot within the Champions League quarter-finals by Real Madrid, they continue to be in the combo in each the English top flight and within the FA Cup.
It might require a surprising nine-point swing to ensure that Guardiola to be crowned a Premier League champion for a seventh time in his illustrious City profession.
But victory over Arsenal on the Etihad on April 19 could have some Arsenal fans fearing the worst after what has been a painful 22-year wait for the title, stretching back to Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles.
Within the cup, meanwhile, City have been handed a tricky quarter-final draw at home to eight-time winners Liverpool, a 12 months after Erling Haaland and Co fell at the ultimate hurdle by the hands of Crystal Palace.
Elsewhere, Arsenal and Southampton do battle at St Mary’s for a semi-final spot, while Chelsea play host to League One outfit Port Vale and West Ham entertain Leeds in an all-Premier League affair on the London Stadium.
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Ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, Joe Hart, Glenn Hoddle and Cole sat down with TNT Sport’s Darren Fletcher to debate their thoughts after a rollercoaster few months in English football’s most famous competition.
‘I’ve just got a sneaky feeling for Joe [Hart]’s mob [Manchester City],’ former Chelsea, Liverpool and West Ham winger Cole said.
In response, ex-England and Manchester City goalkeeper Hart chimed in: ‘So as to add to that, the way in which Pep was reacting and with how invested he was… people think he’s got one toe out of Manchester City.
‘But there was no sign of that, was there? He was able to scrap, he was fighting, he was living and respiration every thing they were doing.’
No matter which clubs make it to this 12 months’s final, Cole is anticipating an ‘incredible’ showpiece at Wembley.
‘Nostalgia is an enormous thing on this current age,’ the ex-England international – who won two FA Cups with Chelsea – explained.
‘There’s at all times been people harping on concerning the good old days, but now, music, fashion and football, all three things go hand in hand and the FA Cup encompasses all three things.
‘I believe there was an enormous ward off and this 12 months’s FA Cup final, something incredible goes to occur, it has to.’
In response to Hart, Palace’s historic victory over City last 12 months may have ‘given hope to everyone’ of upsetting the chances and getting their hands on the trophy.
‘You take a look at the achievement of Palace last season, they beat Manchester City and, in fact, I wanted Manchester City to win,’ the 2011 FA Cup winner said.
‘But it surely united them, gave them their medals and their flowers and that badge of honour that they’d worked so hard for.
‘It was an incredible performance and that may only give hope to everyone left within the competition.’
Ex-England manager Hoddle agreed, adding: ‘That performance has given hope to everyone: in the event that they can do it against the chances, against the best possible, then we are able to do it.’
Who will win this 12 months’s FA Cup?
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