Manchester City will look ​to secure a historic eighth straight semi-final appearance in the FA Cup when ‌they face Liverpool on Saturday, manager Pep Guardiola said.

City beat Arsenal to win the League Cup before the international break, and Guardiola is hoping his team maintain the momentum as they fight to add the ​FA Cup and Premier League to this season’s trophy haul.

“Once you finish one, ​it is the next one,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday.

“Tomorrow we have ⁠the chance to reach an incredible milestone, to make eight semi-finals in a row. ​It’s never happened… it is a prestigious competition, and one of the toughest, special opponents ​for all of us, Liverpool.”

City have dominated English football with six Premier League titles, two FA Cups and five League Cups since Guardiola joined in 2016, but Liverpool have been a constant thorn in his ​side throughout his coaching career.

As a coach, Guardiola has only nine victories and seven ​draws in 26 matches against Liverpool, his worst win rate against a Premier League club.

City have beaten ‌Liverpool twice ⁠in the Premier League this season, but had to dig deep for a late comeback when they won 2-1 at Anfield in February.

“So many times they have been the rival, the biggest, biggest one… top contender, top class players, all of them. Hopefully we have to ​perform in the ​level we did against ⁠Arsenal to reach the next step,” Guardiola said.

The manager also praised Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who has announced his departure in the summer.

“Absolutely. ​One of the greatest. The numbers, the consistency. What a player… ​absolute legend, ⁠of course for Liverpool, but (also) for the Premier League,” Guardiola said.

Guardiola, however, avoided commenting on his own midfielder Rodri, who said he was open to a move to Real Madrid when his ⁠contract with ​City runs out at the end of this season.

“No ​clue, no opinion… because I know the intention of the club, I know the intention, I think, of him, ​but I don’t know,” Guardiola said.’

-Reuters

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Arsenal survived a genuine scare in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday as they edged past spirited third-tier Mansfield Town 2-1, with Eberechi Eze’s thunderbolt ​sending the Premier League leaders into the quarter-finals.

Noni Madueke gave Arsenal the lead going ‌into halftime at Field Mill, but Will Evans equalised for Nigel Clough’s Mansfield before Eze scored in the 66th minute to ensure the top-flight side progressed to the last eight.

“Happy to score. I had the space and ​the opportunity to shoot. So I took it,” Eze told TNT Sports.

“It was a difficult ​environment to play in. But we did what we had to do and ⁠we are through to the next round, which is the important thing.”

Mikel Arteta named a much-changed ​side, starting teenagers Max Dowman and Marli Salmon, as Arsenal became the first Premier League side to ​start a competitive game with two players aged 16 or under in any competition.

However, Arteta’s changes nearly backfired as the hosts, feeding off a raucous home crowd, gave Arsenal a genuine fright with aggressive pressing and infectious ​energy that clearly unsettled the visitors.

“Before the game, the gaffer said, ‘Have a go. We were ​not expected to win the game, so have a go and enjoy it,” Mansfield forward Rhys Oates said.

“We created ‌more ⁠chances than we thought we could, and we have given them a game.”

Dowman, Arsenal’s youngest-ever FA Cup player at 16, emerged as a lively attacking threat as the top-flight side gradually found their rhythm before Madueke broke the deadlock in the 41st minute.

Madueke, who had an initial shot saved, ​curled a powerful finish into ​the far corner ⁠to give Arsenal their 100th goal of the season in all competitions.

Clough brought on Evans for the second half, and the Welsh striker made an ​immediate impact, netting five minutes after coming on.

The 28-year-old wrong-footed a second-guessing ​Cristhian Mosquera ⁠before finishing past Kepa Arrizabalaga in Arsenal’s goal.

“It’s typical, isn’t it? For me to have a league goal drought and then come on for a half against Arsenal and have a goal against them,” ⁠Evans said.

Arsenal ​were rattled but recovered and found the winner when substitute ​Eze made space for himself and fired a powerful shot from the edge of the box to silence the crowd at ​Field Mill and keep Arsenal’s quadruple bid on track.

-Reuters

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Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho and Joao Pedro struck in ​extra time to secure a nervy 4–2 win over ‌second‑tier Wrexham and reach the FA Cup quarter‑finals on Saturday as the Premier League giants escaped from the Racecourse Ground after ​a tough battle.

Garnacho volleyed home from close range in ​the 97th minute with such force that the ⁠ball ricocheted off the back stanchion to give Chelsea ​the lead for the first time on the night.

Wrexham — who ​lost George Dobson to a 93rd-minute red card — thought they had equalised deep into added time in the extra period when Lewis ​Brunt headed home, but he was offside. Pedro then ​sealed Chelsea’s win with a fine goal in the 125th minute.

Sam Smith ‌had ⁠put the Championship side ahead in the 18th when he sprinted onto Callum Doyle’s long pass, took a touch and fired past Robert Sanchez. Chelsea equalised with a huge ​slice of ​luck when George ⁠Thomason’s attempt to clear Garnacho’s shot struck goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo and rolled in.

Wrexham went ​back in front after 78 minutes when ​Doyle diverted ⁠the ball past Sanchez after Ryan Longman fired it back into the area from a corner. But Josh Acheampong equalised ⁠soon ​after with a blistering shot into ​the roof of the net after Dobson slipped to send the game ​into extra time.

-Reuters

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