The English FA Cup is at the fifth round stage and defending champions Manchester City are still the team to beat after their triumph in the last campaign via the 6-0 mauling of Watford in the final.
The fifth round lineup for the competition is complete after Tottenham Hotspur became the 16th and final team to book their place at this stage. The North London club needed a controversial late penalty in the dying minutes of the game to beat fellow top-flight side 3-2 at home in what was the replay of their fourth-round tie.
Tottenham Hotspur will next face Premier League basement club Norwich City to fight for the right to secure a quarterfinal slot. The pick of the fifth round tie is the meeting of two top-four Premier League teams Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.
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Here are the top three favourites for the FA Cup title in this campaign:
1. 12 – The Premier League champions are resigned to losing their title to Liverpool who have had a sensational league campaign till date and the cup competitions represent their best avenue for silverware. They are in the Carabao Cup final where they’ll face Aston Villa at the start of next month and also have a tough Champions League tie with Spanish La Liga giants Real Madrid in the last 16 later this month.
Manchester City are guests of Sheffield Wednesday in the last 16 of the FA Cup next month as they try to book their place in the final eight of the competition.
2. Liverpool – manager Jurgen Klopp has not prioritised the FA Cup this season but that could change in the fifth round with a difficult trip to Chelsea to navigate. The Reds boss is eyeing honours in both the Premier League and the Champions League and he sees the FA Cup as a bonus competition.
3. Manchester United – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs at least one trophy or a top-four finish in the Premier League to be assured of his job at Old Trafford next season and the FA Cup could his best avenue to a trophy this summer.
