The FA Cup returns to action this weekend with fourth round fixtures.
With reigning holders Crystal Palace out of the picture following a disappointing 2-1 loss to Macclesfield last time out, football’s oldest cup competition is set to crown a new champion.
Premier League leading duo Arsenal and Manchester City have emerged as the leading candidates to ascend the throne this season, with both sides priced at 7/2 to lift the trophy at Wembley Stadium.
Eight-time winners Liverpool have been given 6/1 to reclaim the crown for the first time since 2022 and find some comfort amid a dreadful league campaign.
You can watch all FA Cup matches live on BBC Sports and TNT Sports (via Discovery+) in the UK.
Without further ado, let’s look at the most exciting round-four matches:
Just when it looked like Chelsea were starting to build a head of steam under new boss Liam Rosenior, they slipped right back to old ways, squandering a two-goal lead in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw against Leeds United.
That result hindered their pursuit of a coveted top-four finish, leaving them a point adrift of fourth-placed Manchester United while condemning Rosenior to his first draw in charge of the club.
With the Premier League title already out of reach, this could be Rosenior’s best chance to win a piece of silverware in his first season at Stamford Bridge.
Eager to make ‘more happy memories’ against Hull City, Rosenior will expect nothing less than a thumping win against a side Chelsea have beaten across their last eight competitive meetings.
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The last two of those matches came in the FA Cup, the competition Chelsea last won in 2018 under Jose Mourinho.
Manchester City vs Salford City
Three-time consecutive finalists Man City trounced lower-league Exeter City 10-1 in the previous round to set up another routine-looking tie against fourth-tier Salford City.
Pep Guardiola’s charges head into proceedings in high spirits after a 3-0 midweek rout of Fulham helped them whittle down the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal to only four points.
Now riding on a six-game unbeaten run across all competitions (W5, D1), Man City will be out to maintain a feel-good factor against a side they humbled 8-0 in last season’s FA Cup meeting.
Damage limitation is likely to be at the forefront of Karl Robinson’s mind, even though his Salford side lost just twice in their last 13 competitive outings (W9, D2).
However, there’s a feeling that another headline-grabbing victory for the home side is waiting to happen.
Southampton vs Leicester City
Southampton and Leicester City produced one of the most spectacular games of the current Championship campaign on Tuesday, as the Saints overhauled a 3-0 deficit to win 4-3 at the King Power Stadium.
The Saints’ remarkable comeback maintained a high-scoring theme in this fixture, with four of the last six encounters between these two teams featuring four or more goals.
Another fascinating affair could be on the cards here, although the visitors would likely prefer the result over aesthetics after losing five of their last six games (D1).
Interim manager Andy King has come under heavy scrutiny, and high-flying Southampton could put the final nail in his coffin, with the hosts bidding to stretch their five-game unbeaten run (W4, D1).
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Southampton would still be naive to take anything for granted, having dropped points in three consecutive home outings (D2, L1) before a pair of narrow 1-0 wins over Watford and Sheffield United.
Villa Park sets the stage for the FA Cup round-four standout fixture as fierce Premier League rivals Aston Villa and Newcastle United meet in this competition for the first time since 2001.
Both sides emerged victorious from their midweek games in the top-flight, with Villa squeezing past Brighton & Hove Albion, courtesy of Tyrone Mings’ last-gasp header.
Eddie Howe’s side, on the other hand, picked up a well-deserved 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur to end a three-game losing streak, setting themselves up perfectly for this trip.
However, this has been an unfavourable match-up for the Magpies lately, as they’ve drawn a blank in two of their last three clashes against the Birmingham outfit (D1, L2).
It’s also worth noting that they’ve suffered five defeats on their last seven visits to Villa Park (W1, D1), ominously failing to find the back of the net on five occasions.
Arsenal’s pursuit of their first Premier League title in over two decades took a hit on Thursday, as Brentford held them to a gut-wrenching 1-1 draw at the Gtech Community Stadium.
Keen to bounce back instantaneously after being knocked down from a four-game winning run, Arsenal turn their attention towards the FA Cup and a must-win clash against Wigan Athletic.
Mikel Arteta’s only title in North London arrived precisely in this competition back in 2020, but his men have since failed to reach the grand final.
A domestic treble is up for grabs now, with the Gunners set to face off against Man City in the League Cup final in March while also leading the way in the Premier League.
With that in mind, Arsenal are unlikely to take this fixture lightly, which paints a bleak picture for Wigan, who squeaked past Preston North End in the previous FA Cup round.
Liverpool’s Premier League title defence has gone all wrong, putting title-winning manager Arne Slot under the microscope. The same applies to visiting boss Fabian Hurzeler amid Brighton’s rough patch.
The two sides found themselves on opposite ends of 1-0 scorelines in midweek Premier League action, with the Reds beating Sunderland on the road and the Seagulls losing at Villa.
Liverpool secured a Pyrrhic victory at the Stadium of Light, as they lost Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo to a potentially long-term injury, as confirmed by Slot.
A late heartbreak in Birmingham consigned Brighton to their fifth consecutive winless outing (D2, L3), and they’ll be keen to steady the ship at Anfield.
Brighton came out on top when the two teams last met in the FA Cup, claiming a 2-1 victory at the AMEX Stadium in January 2023, only to lose four of their subsequent six matches against Liverpool (W1, D1).
FA Cup Fifth Round Draw
The FA has confirmed that the FA Cup fifth-round draw will take place on Monday February 16, as part of the coverage of the final fourth-round tie between Macclesfield and Brentford. The draw is expected to begin at approximately 6:35pm GMT and will be be available to stream from the TNT Sports YouTube channel. In the UK it will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and discovery+, while ESPN+ will be streaming it in the USA. You can check out all FA Cup streaming options here.