Key events
So, those FA Cup quarter-finals to feast on this weekend …
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Fulham v Crystal Palace, Saturday 12.15pm
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Brighton v Nottingham Forest, Saturday 5.30pm
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Preston v Aston Villa, Sunday 1.30pm
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Bournemouth v Manchester City, Sunday 4.30pm
The last time we had an FA Cup final without one of the ‘big six’ was way back in 2008 – which was also the last time none of them featured in the semi-finals.
All UK times (GMT on Saturday, BST on Sunday – the clocks go forward this weekend).
Sonia Bompastor hasn’t found it too difficult stepping into Emma Hayes’ sizeable shoes at Chelsea. Her side are still unbeaten in the WSL, eight points clear and can now prepare for a Champions League semi-final against Barcelona after seeing off Manchester City at Stamford Bridge last night, winning 3-0 to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit.
“Tonight was a perfect night for us,” said Bompastor. “To be able to play again at Stamford Bridge with our fans and turn things around, I’m really proud of my players. It was a difficult challenge but we really believed it was possible.
“The mental aspects in terms of performance are sometimes 70-80% of the performance and result. So, having belief and mental strength going into the game was important.”
Conversely it was a crushing night for Nick Cushing, the interim City manager, who keenly felt the absence of some key injured stars. “Depth is definitely the difference between the two teams at the moment,” he sighed.
Preamble
We are so back. Well, kind of. That there’s no full Premier League schedule to gorge on after the tedium of the international break is something of a disappointment, but with four genuinely intriguing FA Cup quarter-finals on the horizon, plus all the usual thrills and spills from down the leagues – promotion, relegation and playoff places on the line – the weekend ahead offers plenty of sustenance.
The past few days have offered a rather meagre supply of headlines. But Chelsea finished their unofficial four-match series with perennial women’s rival Manchester City with a 3-0 win (3-2 on aggregate; 3-1 in the series) and Barcelona walloped Wolfsburg in the Women’s Champions League. The last four of the WCL includes two English clubs, as well as Barça and Lyon.
Today we’re not quite back on the treadmill of Premier League managers’ press conferences but we’ll hear from the cup quarter-finalists and there will be a little look-ahead of the top flight games that lurk around the corner in midweek. As always, your correspondence is very welcome so do drop me an email. Grab a coffee and a croissant and get on board.