Bournemouth v Manchester Metropolis: FA Cup quarter-final updates

Afternoon everybody and welcome to the final and largest of this yr’s FA Cup quarter-finals. The final time Manchester Metropolis went to Bournemouth, on 2 November, the outcome was that the tectonic plates of English soccer started to shift.

Metropolis have been high of the league with seven wins from 9 video games, whereas Bournemouth have been muddling alongside in mid-table. Nevertheless it was Bournemouth who gained the match, 2-1, and Liverpool who took over on the high as Metropolis fell from their pedestal like a deposed dictator. They misplaced their subsequent three video games and by no means seemed ahead. From that day to this, Metropolis have scraped simply seven extra league wins and have been the Thirteenth-best workforce within the land – even worse than Man United.

The FA Cup is the one trophy left that Pep Guardiola can seize from the wreckage. His new-found shedding behavior has but to succeed in this competitors, clearly – however then all three of his opponents have been from the decrease divisions and two of them, Orient and Plymouth, nonetheless succeeded in taking the lead. Bournemouth, even with two stars suspended (Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen), even after 5 video games with no win, ought to set a a lot stiffer check. Urgent arduous and pouncing on nervous defenders, they’re simply the sort of workforce Metropolis now battle to face up to.

It’s a sunny day, it’s the south coast, it’s British Summer season Time … it’s a 4.30 kick-off that can really feel like 3.30. So do stick with us.