Manchester City impacted by major FA Cup fixture change announcement amid fans fury

Redaction Willow Austin with City Xtra
Published on 2024-03-15 12:00:00

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are facing significant changes to the fixture scheduling of the Emirates FA Cup starting from the 2024/25 season. The current season sees Manchester City hosting Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, aiming to defend their title from last season’s triumph at Wembley Stadium.

In the previous season, Manchester City secured a historic treble by winning the FA Cup, with Ilkay Gundogan’s brace helping them defeat Manchester United in the final. This victory marked the second time that Pep Guardiola’s side had won the prestigious competition under his management.

Manchester City progressed to the quarter-finals of this season’s FA Cup with a dominant 6-2 victory over Luton Town in the fifth round, where Erling Haaland made history by scoring five goals in a single fifth round tie. Their journey to this stage also included victories over Huddersfield Town and Tottenham Hotspur, while Newcastle United had to rely on a penalty shootout to advance past Blackburn Rovers.

Looking ahead to next season, there are major changes planned for the Emirates FA Cup, with replays being scrapped from the third round onwards starting from the 2024/25 competition. This decision is expected to have a significant financial impact on lower division clubs who have traditionally relied on FA Cup replays for income.

The changes to the FA Cup format have been influenced by adjustments to the UEFA Champions League, which now features more midweek fixtures due to its expansion. The reported rebellion by the EFL against this decision may also result in the retention of two-legged semi-finals in the Carabao Cup.

Currently, the Premier League and EFL are embroiled in a funding battle, with disagreements over a proposed £900 million financial settlement for lower divisions. This dispute highlights the ongoing financial challenges faced by clubs across different tiers of English football.

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