It's time for the quarter-finals in the FA Cup with six Premier League teams in the mix joining Championship side Southampton and League One strugglers Port Vale in the battle to advance to the final four.
Considering their miserable form in the league, which sees them almost certainly heading for relegation to League Two, Port Vale have performed remarkably well in the FA Cup, including impressive wins in the previous two rounds over Bristol City and Sunderland.
However, even the most optimistic Vale fans will admit that run is likely to end today as they travel to London to face Chelsea. Still, stranger things have happened in the FA Cup and Chelsea have been a bit flaky lately and do not appear totally settled under new manager Liam Rosenior.
Anyway, you can be sure Vale supporters will thoroughly enjoy their day in the limelight at Stamford Bridge, whatever the result. The Valiants have sold out their 6,000 ticket allocation, so they will be sure to be making plenty of noise.
Southampton's priority is to get back into the Premier League, from which they were embarrassingly relegated last season with seven matches to play. The Saints have recovered well this season and are in sixth place in the Championship and hoping for a playoff spot. However, their immediate task is to take on high-flying Arsenal, 14 times FA Cup champions, at St Mary's Stadium.
In decent form, Southampton have nothing to lose and will give it a go. However, the depth and quality of the Arsenal squad should ultimately prove decisive despite a long list of injuries.
It should not be forgotten that this season Southampton are celebrating the 50th anniversary of winning the FA Cup when, as a second-tier side, they upset overwhelming favourites Manchester United 1-0 at Wembley in 1976. United had finished third in the old First Division while Southampton were sixth in Division Two.
Saints clinched it with an 83rd minute goal from Bobby Stokes to create one of the biggest ever upsets in an FA Cup final. It was also Southampton's first major trophy. How they would love to go all the way again this season.
The biggest of the quarterfinal clashes is Manchester City hosting Liverpool, matching the teams in second and fifth place in the Premier League. City, who have reached the semi-finals for the last seven seasons, will start as slight favourites, especially with their formidable record at the Etihad.
Liverpool, eight-time winners of the Cup, of course, are capable of playing some very good football, but they have not been at their most fluid this season. Manager Arne Slot will be hoping for an energetic performance today, but he will also have his eyes on the upcoming Champions League clash with Paris Saint Germain.
Rounding up the quarter-finals are Leeds United visiting West Ham tomorrow at the London Stadium. This is a hard match to call with the Hammers in 18th place hoping to overcome a Leeds side four points and four places above them in the league. The Hammers have won the Cup three times while Leeds have lifted the trophy just once.
There's a good chance there won't be any major surprises this weekend, but you never know. Football can be a funny old game, especially when it's the FA Cup.
