Alan Shearer on a green screen
Shearer looks ahead to a packed weekend of FA Cup action (Picture: Getty)
The Premier League takes a backseat this weekend with the FA Cup fourth round taking centre stage.
Manchester United were among those to fall at the first hurdle along with holders Crystal Palace who were stunned by Macclesfield in the third round.
The sixth-tier side are out to cause another shock when they host another Premier League outfit in Brentford.
Chelsea get the action underway tonight with Liam Rosenior up against one of his former clubs Hull City.
Manchester City host Salford City in a tasty tie on Saturday with Arsenal looking to avoid a slip-up at home to Wigan Athletic.
England legend and Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer runs us through a few of his FA Cup predictions to Metro.
Macclesfield vs Brentford
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Can Macclesfield continue their giant-killing run in the FA Cup? Probably not with the form that Brentford are in and the way Keith Andrews has got them playing, but it’ll be tough. There’s always one standout result over a weekend and Brentford have got to make sure that’s not that one.
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Surely Macclesfield can’t do it again? (Picture: Getty)
It’s great to see Macclesfield do well because for the other teams you’re out of your comfort zone, you’re in a totally different environment.
Aston Villa vs Newcastle
This is a big game. I guess both sides will make a couple of changes. Newcastle looked a lot better at Spurs in midweek. Eddie Howe changed it around again, he left the two forwards out. Three if you include Osula and it worked better. There was more energy and Newcastle were more of a threat in forward positions.
They’ve got to try to keep that going. It’s a tough run for Newcastle. They’ve got Tuesday night, they’ve got Saturday, they then travel to Azerbaijan to go and play in the Champions League, which is a huge game as well. So tough times for the Newcastle players. It’ll be tough at Aston Villa, they’re having a brilliant season, sitting in third position in the Premier League. But it’s all something very different, I guess.
Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United - Premier League
Newcastle got a big win in the week (Picture: Getty)
Form often does go out of the window in this competition. That’s why it’s so very difficult to predict. Normally if it was a league game I would go in with a draw but clearly I can’t. I’m going to stick with Newcastle to go through to the next round.
Liverpool vs Brighton
I guess Liverpool are having a tough time compared to what they’ve been used to and there were boos last week. I was really impressed with them at Sunderland for them to go there and manage the game as they did. We know how tough it is there. I thought the way they defended, I thought Konate and Van Dijk were superb. We haven’t said that enough this season.
Sunderland v Liverpool - Premier League
Van Dijk was on target in the week (Picture: Getty)
They were a tad unlucky last weekend against Man City. But I would think that Liverpool will continue their winning ways and go through to the next round because they haven’t got a game next week, as far as I’m aware so I think they’ll go as strong as they can.
Brighton know that Liverpool are under huge pressure to try and win something this season, so they’ll try and use that to their advantage. But that’s a big ask.
Hull vs Chelsea
I guess it all depends on what Rosenior want the most. Whether he wants to protect and solidify going for a place in the Premier League or playoffs, which they’re in at the minute, or whether he wants an FA Cup run.
I guess we’ll find out what team he puts out. It’s a big dilemma for him. I guess they’re at home and they’re live on the BBC, there’ll be a big crowd there. So, it’s one of these games where you would think it’s going to be a great atmosphere and be really tough for Chelsea. But I think the number of players that they can bring on and rest, I guess, for Chelsea, then I still think they’ll have too much for Hull.
Chelsea's Cole Palmer celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton. Picture date: Saturday February 7, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Mike Egerton/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.
Chelsea face a potentially tricky test on the road (Picture: Getty)
Man City vs Salford
Man City are in great form and Guardiola will change it around and he will give players games that haven’t played a lot. But having said that, they’ll have enough to beat Salford.
Arsenal vs Wigan
Again, I think Mikel Arteta will change it around with players that didn’t play against Brentford. He’ll put them in, I guess. And again, there will be a story over the weekend, but I don’t think this will be the story. I think it will be Arsenal going through.
Grimsby vs Wolves
If Grimsby show the same appetite that they did against Man United in the Carabao Cup and same know-how then who’s to say they can’t get a result? But often these results go the way of the Premier League team when they’re really struggling at the bottom as Wolves have been under huge pressure. It might be that they enjoy the pressure being off them for a little bit. I’d say Wolves will win, just.
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