Top storylines from FA Cup quarterfinals

Villa has two decent chances to win its first trophy since 1996. It will face Crystal Palace on April 26.

Manchester City proves there are levels to 'down years.'

Winner of six of the eight Premier League seasons, Pep Guardiola’s been in charge and never finished below third, City is uncharacteristically fifth this season with nine games left.

If that position remains, City could see its worst table finish since 2010. Furthermore, after crashing out of the Carabao Cup in the fourth round and being bullied out of the Champions League in the knockout round playoffs, this is unequivocally Guardiola’s worst year in charge of the club.

And yet he can still win a trophy.

City came from behind on Sunday to defeat Bournemouth 2-1 thanks to goals from Erling Haaland and January signing Omar Marmoush.

Marmoush already has five goals for the club in all competitions. During a “down” and “rebuilding” year for City, it has a chance to continue its trophy hunt against Nottingham Forest on April 26.

Nottingham Forest are partying like it’s 1995.

The club is striving for its best season in thirty years.

At the risk of being relegated last year, the club currently sits third in the Premier League and advanced to the FA Cup semifinals for the first time in 34 years thanks to a penalty shootout victory versus Brighton on Saturday.

Forest hasn’t won this competition since 1959. Likely to finish with its highest league point total since 1995 and a chance to win its first trophy since 1990, fans are excited for either three-decade drought to end.

They have their goalkeeper Matz Sels to thank, denying Brighton’s Diego Gomez in Saturday’s shootout.

Forest defeated Man City 1-0 in their last matchup on March 8. The Reds, full of hope, might have the upper hand against a club full of desperation on April 26.

Crystal Palace’s hunt for a first trophy in the top division continues.

Palace, who’s stayed safely aboard the Premier League since 2013, has never won the League Cup or the FA Cup.

Its best trophy run was an FA Cup final appearance in 2016 when it lost heartbreakingly to Manchester United in extra time.

The Eagles beat Fulham 3-0 on Saturday to book their ticket to Wembley again. Eberechi Eze opened the scoring with a curling strike into the bottom corner.

Eze and center forward Jean-Philippe Mateta have combined for 20 goals this season in all competitions. They remain one of the most clinical and exciting attacking duos in England and will be a handful for the Villa defense on April 26.