Middlesbrough take on Manchester City in the quarter-final of the FA Cup clash at the Riverside Stadium on 11 March, Saturday.

Where to watch live

Kick-off is at 12.15pm GMT. Live coverage is on BT Sport 2. Radio commentary of the game is available on BBC Radio 5 Live. Catch the highlights of the match on Match of the Day on BBC One and BBC One HD at 10.20pm GMT.

Overview

Middlesbrough progressed to the last eight of the FA Cup after registering a 3-2 victory over Oxford United at home in the fifth round. After two first half goals, the League One side were successful in netting twice in the second half.

It was Uruguayan international Cristhian Stuani's 86<sup>th minute goal that made the difference between the two sides as Boro made it to the next round. However, their form in the league has been poor in recent times.

Aitor Karanka's side have never faced a Premier League side in the competition. It is for the first time that Middlesbrough will take on a top tier club in the FA Cup when they host the Citizens on Saturday.

 Sergio Aguero
Sergio Aguero has dropped a hint he could leave Manchester City Getty

City enter this tie after settling for a disappointing goalless draw against Stoke City in the Premier League clash at the Etihad. In the previous round, Huddersfield Town held them to a goalless draw and that forced a replay, which the Premier League side won comfortably 5-1 at home.

Pep Guardiola's side are fighting for the title, the FA Cup and the Champions League. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager has admitted that his side will face a crucial week in deciding their season.

They take on AS Monaco in the second leg of the Champions League, while they face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup. City can either progress further in both competitions or be knocked out of one of two competitions.

What managers say

Aitor Karanka: "Is Pep the best coach in the world? No. The best coach in the world is Jose Mourinho. He has shown it during his career at Porto, at Inter Milan, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United. He was the best in Spain, and he still is the best. Jose started this season with some criticism, but he has already won a trophy for United. Jose is the best for me. I think Guardiola has to win the Premier League to show he is one of the best ever. He has shown he can win titles in Spain and in Germany, and he probably thought he'd do the same in England," Karanka told the Mirror.

Pep Guardiola: "These three games will decide what's going to happen in the next two months, definitely. I give you my permission to analyse what is my success this season," he said. "I'm not the guy to say it was good or bad. I know what my standard is in terms of the past and titles. I know what's on my shoulders and I have to handle that, but what I would like to see in my team is them playing better at the end of the season than at the beginning. My period in Munich was judged as a disaster because we were not able to win the Champions League," he added. "But when I was at Munich, we won three leagues in a row, we won two cups, we arrived all the time in the semi-finals, but it was a disaster. So I have to handle that," Guardiola was reported as saying by the Independent.

Betting Odds (betfair)

  • Middlesbrough: 8
  • Draw: 18/5
  • Manchester City: 2/5

Team News

Aitor Karanka
Aitor Karanka barks instructions to his side Getty Images

Middlesbrough

Possible XI: Valdes; Barragan, Espinosa, Gibson, Da Silva; De Roon, Clayton, Forshaw; Traore, Negredo, Stuani.

Manchester City

Possible XI: Cabellero; Sagna, Otamendi, Stones, Clichy; Sterling, Fernandinho, Toure, Sane; De Bruyne; Aguero.