Manchester City vs Sheffield United prediction, odds and preview

Manchester City will have an opportunity to close the gap on Arsenal in the Premier League table but on Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s side face Sheffield United in the semi-final of the FA Cup.

The winners from the contest will come up against the victors of the other semi-final game between Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester United.

City are looking to win the trouble this season as the final tale of the season continues. The Citizens booked their place in the last four of the UEFA Champions League in midweek after a 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena having won 3-0 in the earlier encounter at Etihad Stadium.

Before facing title rivals Arsenal in the Premier League next Wednesday, Man City must overcome lower-league competition in the form of Sheffield United if they are to halt a three-year skid of failing to advance from the FA Cup semi-final stage.

The Citizens have been beaten in the last three FA Cup semi-finals by Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool, but they will fancy their chances against the Blades on Saturday, having won each of their last 21 domestic cup ties against teams from lower divisions, scoring 78 goals and conceding just 11 – a 1-0 FA Cup fourth-round loss to Wigan Athletic in February 2018 was City’s last defeat against lower-league opposition.

City have defeated Chelsea, Arsenal, Bristol City, and Burnley by an aggregate score of 14-0 in the previous four rounds of this season’s FA Cup, including a 6-0 quarter-final victory at the Etihad Stadium last month, and Guardiola’s men could become the first team since Everton in 1965-66 to reach the FA Cup final without conceding a goal if they keep a clean sheet on Saturday.

Sheffield United are on the verge of securing promotion from the Championship after a 1-0 home win over Bristol City on Tuesday night, thanks to a second-half goal from Manchester City loanee James McAtee.

The Blades, who are second in the second-tier standings, now need just one more win to confirm their return to the Premier League. They are seven points ahead of third-placed Luton Town, who have played one more game and lost at Reading last time out.

City have won all of their last five meetings with Sheffield keeping clean sheets in all.