FA Cup Quarterfinals: Predicting All Four Ties

Sunday afternoon saw Peter Reid and Wayne Allison draw out eight balls, representing the remaining participants in this year's FA Cup.

Each of the 10 teams left (with two fifth-round replays yet to be decided) know that victory in their quarterfinal tie will see them and their fans earn a trip to Wembley.

A place in the final four leaves a side just 90 minutes away from European qualification for next season and, of course, the chance to attain some much coveted silverware.

This year's competition began way back in August 2011, when Sunderland RCA disposed of Birtley Town 7-0 in one of the first matches of the extra preliminary round.

That stage was one of the six preliminary rounds, all settled before the first official round took place in November. As usual, Premier League sides entered the competition in the third round, and at this quarterfinal mark, also known as the sixth round, naturally only the semifinal and final now lie ahead.

So, with the quarterfinal draw made, which teams are going to Wembley in 2012?

Liverpool vs. Stoke

Kenny Dalglish will be mightily relieved to have drawn last year's FA Cup finalists at home and will be wary of finishing the job at the first attempt. Were Stoke able to force a replay, Liverpool's prospects would be far more precarious given the hostile reception that greets most visitors to the Britannia Stadium.

Having contested this exact tie a month ago, Stoke will be encouraged by the 0-0 scoreline achieved that night but will also know they will have a far superior attacking threat to deal with now that Luis Suarez will once again be available.

Tony Pulis' side will use that game as inspiration and draw on all the experience gained from last year's impressive FA Cup feats. On their day, their direct, confrontational approach will trouble anyone in their way, and Kenny Dalglish will have to rouse his troops accordingly.

However, despite Liverpool's habit of drawing too many home games this season, I predict a comfortable win in front of a typically boisterous Anfield crowd. As much as their league form has stuttered, Dalglish's men have saved some of their better displays for cup ties this season, and I expect this to continue here.

Verdict: Liverpool Ease Through

Chelsea or Birmingham vs. Leicester

This is where I'm going to be a little more creative. The three current favourites for the trophy have all been given favourable home draws, yet rarely does the FA Cup go entirely according to reputation or league status.

Unable to finish off a well-organised Birmingham outfit at home on Saturday, Chelsea now face a far trickier replay at St. Andrews, where the winner will host Leicester.

Collecting just two points from their previous three Premier League away games (against Norwich, Swansea and Everton), Chelsea have struggled for consistency on the road this year.

Andre Villas-Boas is currently dealing with a turbulent landscape at the club. The manager is balancing huge pressures from owners, fans and the media, whilst seemingly having to combat members of his own dressing room simultaneously. Given this unhealthy climate, it would not come as the greatest surprise were Birmingham to vanquish the under-fire Londoners and add to their misery.

Despite Chelsea's formidable recent record in the FA Cup, I can see Birmingham valiantly repelling their distinguished guests for 90 minutes—and then even in extra time, too. Having failed to find the target, Villas-Boas' men are then dramatically punished as Birmingham snatch the tie after a penalty shoot-out, heaping yet more scrutiny on the Portuguese manager.

In a surprise all-Championship quarterfinal, Birmingham are then the victim of a fired up Leicester side. Nigel Pearson now has his team focusing solely on this competition with league form wavering too much to keep them in the Championship playoff hunt. 

An out-gunned Birmingham are unable to repeat their previous heroics and, after a narrow defeat, are left to gather themselves and concentrate on gaining promotion back to the Premier League.

On paper it's perhaps unlikely, but how many times does a Championship side counter the odds and somehow battle through to the last four?

Verdict: Leicester Sneak It

Stevenage or Tottenham vs. Bolton

Despite Tottenham's replay with Stevenage punctuating a particularly dense period in their fixture list, at White Hart Lane, Harry Redknapp's sides should have few problems taking apart their lower league challengers.

Then faced with another home tie, Spurs will feel confident they have enough to send Bolton packing too. The game pits the league's third-best attack against the second-worst defence, and Spurs will remember the ease in which they romped to a 3-0 home win against Bolton in December.

To be fair to Owen Coyle's men, they had justifiable reason to be aggrieved that day after Gary Cahill's harsh early dismissal—a pivotal moment that arguably settled the contest. 

As well as rectifying that performance, Bolton will be keen to erase all memories of their horror showing in last year's FA Cup semifinal clash with Stoke, where they were on the back of an embarrassing 5-0 drubbing.

These painful memories may well invigorate Bolton early on in this clash, and they could initially catch Spurs off guard with a passionate, frenzied start.

However, the temperament, poise and mental strength shown by this Tottenham side is in stark contrast to what has been on display in recent years at White Hart Lane.

Eventually the class of their midfield will tell, and they should be able to penetrate Bolton's defence as many times as is required to triumph late on in the contest.

Verdict: Tottenham March On

Everton vs. Sunderland

The competition's two dark horses meet in the final fixture of the round, pairing up two of the form teams of 2012.

Up until their league loss against Arsenal, Martin O'Neill's side had been rampant since his pre-Christmas appointment, racking up seven wins in 10 games. No other Premier League side gathered more points during that 10 game stretch, and, with Sunderland eliminating Arsenal at the weekend, it seems their momentum is unlikely to slacken off just yet.

Everton are also beginning to gel, having come off successive home wins against Manchester City and Chelsea. The Toffees are starting to suggest they will yet again pull off another late season surge and drag themselves up into the top eight of the league, where they have finished for the last five years.

An unusually triumphant transfer window saw Steven Pienaar, Nikica Jelavic, Darron Gibson and (the now departed) Landon Donovan all arrive to boost the squad. The rare sight of new faces seems to have installed fresh impetus and optimism around the club.

Yesterday's draw saw Everton receive a club record ninth straight home tie in the cup, and the Toffees will hope their fervent support can help see them through in what could prove to be an exciting fixture.

David Moyes enjoys a formidable record against Sunderland, having never lost in 14 meetings. The last 11 fixtures between the sides at Goodison Park have seen eight Everton wins and three draws.

Given all that, I envisage the Toffees narrowly edging past Martin O'Neill's rejuvenated line-up and returning to Wembley for the first time since 2009. 

Verdict: Everton—Just

The Final Four?

Liverpool

Tottenham

Leicester 

Everton

So, here is my take on the pending quarterfinal ties. If this were to become the final four, set to compete for a final berth, there would certainly be several tasty implications.

Could a Merseyside Derby be on the cards at some point, even possibly as the final showpiece? Already in the final of the Carling Cup, double cup success would surely quash any disappointment associated with Liverpool's league campaign?

Were this to be the final four, Harry Redknapp would be a clear favourite to land the prize with Tottenham. Is he destined to win the trophy as a leaving present for Spurs, before presumably turning his attentions to England on a high?

How would a Championship side fair against these Premier League sides? A win against any of these Premier League outfits would go down as a mighty scalp for Nigel Pearson's men.

Or, could David Moyes successfully steer his side to another FA Cup final and, in doing so, finally claim a trophy to decorate his 10-year stint at Everton?

These are my picks to make it through the quarterfinals, what are yours?

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