FA Cup Preview & Prediction

The FA Cup quarter-finals access this weekend as eight teams bid to move a step closer to winning the competition.

With usual Big Four members Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United having already been out of tournament, hopes among the remaining sides are high.

Holders Chelsea are the only team left of the expected Premier League heavyweights, while top-flight Spurs, Aston Villa, Birmingham, Fulham, Stoke and Portsmouth are also in the game.

Championship unit Reading are the only team remaining for the Football League after creating a number of upsets on their journey to the quarter-finals.

Crisis-club Portsmouth, who beaten local rivals Southampton in the fifth round, expected to face Birmingham to Fratton Park on Saturday lunchtime to kick-off proceedings and the South Coast club will want some more welcome relief.

Pompey, FA Cup winners in 2008, have been ingrained in misery this season as they prop up the Premier League and they have entered administration, while Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs is still knocking at the door.

In opposite, Birmingham have enjoyed an superb campaign and Alex McLeish's men are still in competition for a Europa League trophy at the same time as chasing a place in the semi-finals.

London rivals Fulham and Tottenham twisted horns at Craven Cottage on Saturday evening for possibly the most exciting duel of the round.

Roy Hodgson's Cottagers pursue for a first FA Cup in their history, but they will have to eliminate Harry Redknapp's high-flying Tottenham.

Reading have claimed the title of this season's shock specialists as Brian McDermott's second-tier strugglers have scalped Liverpool, Burnley and West Brom to leave them comparatively immovable by the arrival of Aston Villa.

Martin O'Neill's men, though, will be in a undaunted mood after last weekend's Carling Cup final defeat to Manchester United.

Premier League leaders Chelsea's clash with Stoke, conquerors of mega-rich Manchester City in the last round, at Stamford Bridge completes the round as the Potters bid to end the Blues' defence of the cup.