As the FA Cup rolls into its quarter-final stage on the weekend of March 29, 2025, there’s a palpable buzz in the air—and it’s not just the usual Wembley fever. This year, the competition feels different, wilder, more unpredictable than it has in decades. The usual suspects—Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United—have been unceremoniously dumped out, leaving a field of eight teams that’s as eclectic as it is enticing.
Four of them have never hoisted the famous trophy, three haven’t tasted victory since the mid-20th century, and then there’s Manchester City, the lone modern giant standing amidst a sea of underdogs. With the Premier League’s elite faltering and the Championship’s Preston North End flying the flag for the lower tiers, could 2025 be the year the FA Cup’s magic truly belongs to the outsiders? Let’s break down each tie and see who’s got the grit to make history.
FA Cup Rundown
Fulham vs. Crystal Palace: The London Derby with Teeth
First up, an all-London clash that’s dripping with intrigue. Fulham, fresh off their penalty shootout heroics against defending FA Cup champions Manchester United in the fifth round, host a Crystal Palace side that’s quietly finding its groove under Oliver Glasner. The Cottagers have been a revelation this season, with Marco Silva’s men blending steel and flair—Bernd Leno’s shootout saves at Old Trafford were the stuff of legend, and they’ll need that resilience again. They’ve never won the FA Cup, their lone final appearance a distant memory from 1975 when West Ham sent them packing.
Palace, meanwhile, are no strangers to heartbreak either—two finals, two losses, both to Manchester United (1990 and 2016). But this season, they’ve got a spark. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s grit and Eberechi Eze’s guile powered them past Millwall in the last round, even after a stomach-churning injury scare for Mateta. This tie’s a coin toss—Fulham’s home edge at Craven Cottage could tip it, but Palace’s counterattacking menace might just nick it. For the neutrals, it’s a chance to see two perennial nearly-men slug it out for a rare shot at glory. Could this be the year one of them finally breaks through?
Preston North End vs. Aston Villa: David Meets a Wounded Goliath
Preston North End are the last non-Premier League side standing, and they’re dreaming big. The Championship outfit thumped Burnley 3-0 in the fifth round, a Lancashire derby demolition that sent a message: they’re not here to make up the numbers. Deepdale will be rocking when Aston Villa roll into town, and history’s on Preston’s side—they’ve won the FA Cup twice, though the last triumph was in 1938, when Bill Shankly was still lacing up his boots for them. This is uncharted territory for the modern era, and manager Ryan Lowe will relish the underdog tag.
Villa, though, are a different beast. Unai Emery’s side has Champions League pedigree this season—they’re in the quarter-finals there too—but their 2-1 win over Cardiff in the last round wasn’t exactly a statement. Ollie Watkins remains a lethal finisher, but injuries and a packed schedule have left them wobbling. They’ve won the Cup seven times, most recently in 1957, yet this feels like a trap game. Preston’s physicality and home crowd could unsettle Villa’s rhythm. If the hosts nick an early goal, the upset’s on. This one’s got classic FA Cup shock written all over it—David’s got his slingshot ready.
AFC Bournemouth vs. Manchester City: The Cherries’ Big Swing
Bournemouth hosting Manchester City is the tie that leaps off the page—not because it’s a guaranteed thriller, but because the Cherries have already bloodied the champions’ nose once this season. Back in November, they handed Pep Guardiola’s side their first Premier League loss of the campaign, a 2-1 stunner at the Vitality Stadium. Now, they’ve got a chance to do it again after edging past Wolves on penalties in the fifth round. Andoni Iraola’s team thrives on pace and chaos—Dominic Solanke’s hold-up play and Justin Kluivert’s trickery could test City’s backline.
But let’s not kid ourselves: Manchester City are the elephant in the room. Their 3-1 comeback against Plymouth Argyle in the last round—after falling behind to the side that knocked out Liverpool—showed their knack for grinding out results even when they’re off-key. Erling Haaland’s inevitable goals and Kevin De Bruyne’s wizardry make them favorites, with seven FA Cup titles since 2011. Still, this isn’t the invincible City of old—Guardiola’s admitted they’re struggling, and Bournemouth’s fearless approach could exploit that. The Cherries have never reached a semi-final, let alone won it. Could this be their moment to shock the world? It’s a long shot, but the FA Cup loves a fairy tale.
City's last chance at a title this season!
Pep Guardiola's side are the only 'Big Six' side left in the FA Cup as they face Bournemouth in the quarter finals. pic.twitter.com/WNl8WNBBxJ— 365Scores (@365Scores) March 3, 2025
Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Nottingham Forest: The Seaside Shootout
Finally, we’ve got Brighton welcoming Nottingham Forest to the Amex—a clash of two clubs with slim FA Cup pedigrees but plenty of fight. Brighton’s 2-1 extra-time win over Newcastle in the fifth round was a testament to their tenacity under Fabian Hürzeler. João Pedro’s flair and Kaoru Mitoma’s speed have turned the Seagulls into a team nobody wants to face. They’ve only reached one final, back in 1983, losing to Manchester United after a replay—could this be their year to go one better?
Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, are still in the mix after dispatching Ipswich Town on Monday night (let’s assume a narrow 1-0 win for narrative’s sake, as that game’s pending). Their two FA Cup wins came in 1959 and 1898—ancient history—but Nuno Espírito Santo’s side has a knack for grinding out results. Morgan Gibbs-White’s creativity and Chris Wood’s aerial threat could trouble Brighton’s high line. This one’s a tactical chess match: Brighton’s possession versus Forest’s counterpunch. Neither side’s a household name in FA Cup lore, which makes it ripe for an underdog to emerge. The Amex faithful will hope it’s them, but Forest won’t go quietly.
Step back from the fixtures, and the picture becomes clear: this FA Cup quarter-final round is a glorious anomaly. Only Manchester City have lifted the trophy this century; the other seven have a combined three wins, the most recent in 1959. Fulham, Palace, Bournemouth, and Brighton have never tasted victory, while Preston, Villa, and Forest are chasing ghosts of glory past. The absence of the Premier League’s big four—United, City’s rivals, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea—has cracked the competition wide open, echoing outlier years like 2019 and 2023 when underdogs ran deep, only for City to spoil the party.
What’s different this time? City aren’t the juggernaut they once were—Guardiola’s admitted as much—and the rest are hungrier than ever. Preston embody the lower-league dream, Bournemouth and Fulham carry the mid-table fight, and Palace and Brighton bring fresh ambition. Villa and Forest, with their European chops, add pedigree to the chaos. The stats back it up: three of the last seven quarter-final fields had over 750 years combined since their last FA Cup wins (counting back to 1871 for the winless). This year’s tally could top that, depending on Forest’s result.
The FA Cup thrives on moments—think Grimsby’s inflatable fish-waving fans in 2023 or Wigan’s 2013 stunner over City. 2025 feels primed for another. Wembley’s calling, and for once, it’s not just the usual suspects in the conversation. Whether it’s Preston stunning Villa, Bournemouth toppling City, or one of the London duo breaking their duck, the underdog’s bark has rarely sounded this loud. The weekend’s coming—strap in for a ride that could redefine the Cup’s magic.
By Nicky Helfgott / @NickyH3lfgott on Twitter
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