This weekend’s FA Cup quarter-finals see the duel between Manchester United and Arsenal, scheduled for Monday, stealing the limelight from the other three ties in programme today and tomorrow.

Another big-boys clash will be Aston Villa-West Brom, a Midlands derby that has all the ingredients of a thrilling encounter.

Last week’s League Cup finalists, Chelsea and Tottenham, are both out of the equation as United and Arsenal also battle for a place in the Champions League next season.

After the shock 1-3 upset to Monaco at home in the Champions League last month, Arsene Wenger will be urging his team to double their efforts and retain the cup after last season’s triumph against Hull City in a dramatic final.

Last Saturday, Angel di Maria had long departed the stage by the time Wayne Rooney struck twice for United to beat Sunderland.

Di Maria was replaced at half-time, paying the price for another poor performance. Now, United manager Louis van Gaal expects Rooney’s confidence to grow following his match-winning brace.

This season Arsenal lost 1-2 at home to United in the league and the head-to-head record in the FA Cup speaks slightly in favour of Van Gaal’s team – 7-6.

United and Arsenal also clashed in two FA Cup finals, both won by the Londoners.

2010-11 QF: United-Arsenal - 2-0

2007-08 5th rd: United-Arsenal - 4-0

2004-05 final: Arsenal-United - 0-0 (Cardiff, Arsenal win 5-4 pens)

2003-04 SF: United-Arsenal - 1-0

2002-03 5th rd: United-Arsena - 0-2

1998-99 SF: United-Arsenal - 0-0

Replay: Arsenal-United - 1-2

1987-88 5th rd: Arsenal-United - 2-1

1982-83 SF: United-Arsenal - 2-1

1978-79 final: Arsenal-United - 3-2

1961-62 4th rd: United-Arsenal - 1-0

1950-51 5th rd: United-Arsenal - 1-0

1936-37 4th rd: Arsenal-United - 5-0

1905-06 QF: United-Arsenal - 2-3

At Villa Park, manager Tim Sherwood remains hopeful his team can have the edge over West Brom this evening.

In midweek, Sherwood registered his first victory since taking over at Villa after a 2-1 win over the same Baggies.

The other Premier League match this season saw West Brom holding the upper hand at the Hawthorns 1-0.

Liverpool’s last-eight draw will give Steven Gerrard hope of reaching Wembley in his final year with the Reds, although they will have to overcome a Blackburn side who have already knocked out Premier League opposition Swansea and Stoke this season.

Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen believes last season’s title near-miss will stand them in good stead in the race for the top four, after Brendan Rodgers’s side chalked up two successive wins over Manchester City 2-1 and Burnley 2-0.

Blackburn, who beat Sheffield Wednesday away this week, will be looking to shock their more-quoted opponents tomorrow even though their priority this season is a place in the play-offs.

League One side Bradford City are into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1976. They will be confident of progressing further at the expense of Reading today after beating Chelsea and Sunderland in the previous rounds.

Bradford’s chances of a place in the play-offs was back on track this week thanks to a 1-0 win over Crawley Town.

Fixture and forecast

FA Cup sixth round
Aston Villa-West Brom (18:30) - X
Bradford-Reading (13:45) - 1

Tomorrow:
Liverpool-Blackburn (17:00) - 1

Monday:
Man. United-Arsenal (20:45) - 1

Premier League
QPR-Tottenham - 2

The Championship
Blackpool-Sheffield Wed. - 2
Cardiff-Charlton - 1
Derby-Birmingham - 1
Huddersfield-Rotherham - 1
Ipswich -Brentford - 1
Millwall-Norwich - 2
N. Forest-Middlesbrough - X
Wigan-Leeds - X
Wolves-Watford - X

League One
Barnsley-Walsall - 1
Coventry-Port Vale - 1
Crawley-Bristol City - 2
Crewe-Scunthorpe - X
Gillingham-Doncaster - X
MK Dons-Preston - 1
Peterboro-Leyton Orient - 1
Rochdale-Colchester - 1
Sheffield Utd-Fleetwood - 1
Swindon-Notts County - 1
Yeovil-Oldham - X

League Two
Accrington-Portsmouth - X
AFC Wimbledon-York - 1
Bury-Oxford - 1
Carlisle-Exeter - X
Cheltenham-Mansfield - 1
Hartlepool-Burton - 2
Luton-Morecambe - 1
Plymouth-Northampton - 1
Shrewsbury-Cambridge - 1
Southend-Wycombe - 1
Stevenage-Newport - 1
Tranmere-Dagenham - 1

Hot four: Cardiff, Derby, Huddersfield, Ipswich.