Even by the glorious standards we hold the FA Cup to, this season's competition has been absolutely sensational. Only one of the Premier League's traditional big six clubs remain in the cup at the quarter-final stage, so it is Manchester City's to lose or could we have one of the all-time great FA Cup stories in the form of a shock winner?
City are one of three quarter-finalists yet to face a Premier League opponent in this season's FA Cup, but that will change dramatically at the end of March. Their Sixth Round trip to red-hot Bournemouth will certainly be the biggest test of their cup run so far, with the Cherries determined to qualify for European football for the first time.
Nottingham Forest are the other big hitters remaining in the competition, but still have to get past Ipswich in the Fifth Round on Monday night. The Reds sit third in the top flight, but face a tough test away to Brighton after the Tractor Boys if they are to return to Wembley, the site of their 2022 Championship Playoff Final victory.
Aston Villa, who haven't reached the FA Cup final for a decade, visit Championship Preston, the only EFL side remaining in the competition after their 3 - 0 victory over Lancashire rivals Burnley.
Fulham face Crystal Palace in the other quarter-final in what is a London derby between two sides who haven't got a major trophy to boast between them.
Let's take a look at each quarter-final and some of the decades-long streaks of Wembley absences (or final absences altogether) that might be broken.
Fulham vs Crystal Palace
One of the best things about the oldest professional football competition in the world is some of the ridiculous stats that come out of each and every round. But surely the prize this year goes to Fulham, who on Sunday knocked Manchester United out of the competition for the first time in 117 years.
In other words, there isn't a single person on the planet who was alive the last time the Cottagers knocked United out of the FA Cup.
Their reward for this historic penalty shoot-out win is a London derby at home to Crystal Palace, who, unlike Fulham, had a dramatic weekend for all the wrong reasons. Not that any of them were their fault.
Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts produced what can only be described as a karate kick to Jean-Philippe Mateta's head, leaving the Frenchman needing 25 stiches in hospital. If that wasn't enough, the Lions' supporters completed the embarrassment with a series of disgusting chants wishing the striker ill as he laid unconscious on the turf.
As much as neutrality is usually essential in football media, I think we can be forgiven for being slightly glad that Palace won this one.
It's especially exciting for the neutral that what was a fairly ordinary Premier League fixture just over a week ago, which the Eagles won 2 - 0, will now be one of the most significant matches either side have played in the last ten years.
Neither of these famous clubs have ever won a major trophy, but both have fallen at the final hurdle in this competition; Fulham were beaten 2 - 0 by West Ham in the 1975 final, while Palace lost both the 1990 and 2016 finals to 13-time winners Manchester United.
In terms of head to head between the London rivals, Fulham have the edge with 19 wins to Crystal Palace's 15, with 19 draws between them. In a remarkable twist of fait however, these two clubs, long-time members of the Premier League and EFL before that, have only been drawn against each other once in the entire history of the FA Cup.
The tie took place in 1907, the year before Fulham's last FA Cup win over Manchester United. After a 0 - 0 draw at Craven Cottage (yes Fulham still played at Craven Cottage in 1907), Palace won the replay 1 - 0.
So, if Marco Silva's side score in the quarter-final, it will literally be their first ever FA Cup goal against Crystal Palace.
Of course the trophy is main goal for all eight sides left in the competition, but even reaching a major final for either of these sides would be a spectacular achievement.
The FA Cup brought Palace their last final, ending in a 2 - 1 extra time defeat to Manchester United in the 2016 , while Fulham haven't played a major final since their remarkable run to the 2010 Europa League final, which they lost by the same 2 - 1 scoreline to Atletico Madrid, also after extra time.
This wasn't a big fixture in the Premier League on the 22nd February, in fact it wasn't even picked for TV coverage. But make no mistake, the cup tie at the end of this month will be the biggest game of the season for whoever loses it; for the winner it'll be second to the semi-final that follows.
Preston vs Aston Villa
What an effort it's been by Preston North End to join seven Premier League sides in the last eight of the FA Cup. Admittedly it hasn't been the toughest of cup runs, beating two League One sides and a depleted Burnley team, but like anyone, they can only beat what's in front of them.
Of all four quarter-finals however, this is the only one with a clear favourite, and it isn't the Championship side. Aston Villa haven't been as consistent as Unai Emery would've liked this season, but what can't be denied is their ability to step up for a big occasion.
Victories over Bayern Munich & Manchester City and comeback against Arsenal & Liverpool have showcased the Villain's appetite for a big game, and with City faltering this season, Villa sense the chance to end a 29-year trophyless streak.
While Preston are not to be underestimated, the Lancashire side have struggled for goals this season, scoring just 36 times in their 34 league games; only four sides in the Championship have fewer goals.
Silverware and European football are the targets for Aston Villa this season, and with three more wins in the FA Cup, they can achieve up both. Victory over Preston would take the Villains to Wembley for a shot at cup final redemption.
Their last trip to Wembley ended in a narrow 2 - 1 defeat to Manchester City in the 2020 Carabao Cup final, just a year after their Championship Playoff Final victory over Derby County.
But their previous FA Cup trip wasn't quite as close, as Villa were thrashed 4 - 0 by Arsenal in the 2015 final.
Preston should not by any means be written off, but Villa know they've got the good draw here, and if they take the game seriously, they should be heading to Wembley for their first FA Cup semi-final for a decade.
Bournemouth vs Manchester City
In terms of current form, Bournemouth are wilting slightly, with three defeats in their past five Premier League games. But, like Aston Villa, their ability to show up for big games makes them a genuine contender to win this season's FA Cup.
It's been a season of big moments for the Cherries. In a campaign that already included Antoine Semenyo's outstanding strike against Manchester City, a genius set-piece goal to beat Arsenal and Justin Kluivert's outrageous hat-trick at St James' Park, Andoni Iraola's side deserved the luck they had in their penalty shoot-out against Wolves.
Despite missing their fifth spot kick after four perfect strikes each, Bournemouth progressed as both Matt Doherty and Boubacar Traore missed the target altogether for the Premier League strugglers.
The reward for Iraola's side is a quarter-final against favourites Manchester City, but this is by no means the same City side that has won the last four Premier League titles.
Whether it's down to the absence of Rodri, too much reliance on Erling Haaland or simply the ageing of their squad, the Champions are not the all-winning, all-conquering beast they once were.
If they can exploit the new-found weaknesses in Pep Guardiola's team, Bournemouth have the opportunity to reach the semi-finals of a major cup competition for the first time in their history.
The Cherries have only ever played three matches at Wembley Stadium and have lost all three, including the 1998 EFL Trophy final against Grimsby Town, which ended in a 2 - 1 defeat after extra time; the other two were Premier League games against Tottenham.
Manchester City arguably need the result more in order to salvage an acceptable season, but it would mean so much more to a Bournemouth side who feel as though they are on the verge of a new era as they chase European football.
And what better way to welcome in such a new era than with their first ever victory at Wembley Stadium?
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest/Ipswich Town
This tie will obviously have a very different look depending on whether it's Nottingham Forest or Ipswich making their second trip of the season to the Amex Stadium.
Both sides came away with a point from their Premier League trips to the South Coast in September, although Forest's 2 - 2 draw featuring three red cards was somewhat more exciting than Ipswich's goalless affair with the Seagulls.
The South Coast side will likely be hoping for an Ipswich win on Monday night, not just because the Tractor Boys are 31 points behind Nottingham Forest this season, but more because Forest trounced Brighton 7 - 0 last month.
Whoever Brighton face however it'll be a familiar scenario if they were to win. The Seagulls have reached the semi-finals twice since 2019. On both occasions, they lost to a Manchester club at Wembley, and in both seasons the side who beat them went on to win the final.
Fabian Hurzeler got off to a roaring start in England, and although Brighton have slowed down in the second half of the season, their fantastic form before Christmas has allowed them to remain in the thrilling battle for a European spot in the Premier League alongside their strong cup run.
The jeopardy of the European race in the league is that it's unknown how many spots there are in each competition; win the FA Cup and you're in the Europa League at the very least.
For Brighton that would be sensational. For Ipswich it would be ludicrous as they'd likely end the season with more wins in the FA Cup than the Premier League if they were to win the cup. But for the third club in this 24-hour FA Cup love triangle, Europa League football would be underwhelming.
Nottingham Forest have taken the Premier League by storm this season, charging to third in the table with 11 games to go.
Inspired by Chris Wood's remarkable season, the Reds find themselves above the likes of Aston Villa and Bournemouth not because they've won the big games and dropped on the smaller occasions, but instead because they've been remarkably consistent.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side haven't lost a single game in league or cup this season against a club currently in the bottom half of the Premier League. That level of consistency is more than deserving of a European place.
It's not as helpful however in cup ties. Forest's main strength this season has been their sensational home record; only Liverpool and Arsenal, the two sides above them in the league, have fewer home defeats than Forest have at the City Ground.
If Forest do get past Ipswich they'll have to deliver their biggest away performance since their early-season upset at Anfield if they are to knock Brighton out and make it to Wembley.
In any other competition that would be the end of the discussion, but this is the FA Cup, where anything can happen, and so Ipswich have a place in the conversation.
Forest have made 11 changes for each of their two cup ties so far this season, and if Nuno does the same again, Ipswich will feel they have a chance to cause an upset.
However, the Tractor Boys are facing Premier League opposition for the first time in this season's FA Cup and Premier League opposition have been something of an issue for Kieran McKenna's side this season, despite being a top flight club themselves.
In 27 league games since promotion, Ipswich have just three wins, although two have come away from home against Tottenham and Wolves.
Beating Forest though is a much tougher test, especially if the Reds name a stronger team than they have in the previous rounds against Luton Town and Exeter City. Ipswich have been convincing in their FA Cup wins over Bristol Rovers and Coventry City, but it feels as though this trip to the City Ground might be a step too far.
The magic of the FA Cup has cooked up a thrilling finale this season, not because the usual suspects are left to scrap it out with each other, but instead because most of them are out before the quarter-final stage.
Manchester City are the only team left in this season's competition who have reached the final in the last nine years; four of the quarter-finalists have never won a major trophy of any description.
Recent history is with last season's runners-up too, as they've won 20 major trophies since any of the other clubs left in the competition won any.
But this season's competition has reminded us that there really is no script for the FA Cup; football's oldest (and best) competition will do as it pleases.
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