The F.A. Cup 4th Round takes place this weekend, with a mixture of teams from the Premier League down to League Two involved. The action kicks off with the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition, Northampton Town hosting Wayne Rooney’s Derby County, while the weekend closes out on Monday night with Bournemouth hosting Arsenal in an all-Premier League game. Let’s look at what might happen in between those fixtures.
The Potential Thrashing
Everyone loves a good thumping, don’t they, apart from the team on the end of it, that is. While many of the top teams will rest players, such as Liverpool in their trip to The New Meadow to face Shrewsbury Town, others will be going for the F.A. Cup in a big way as their only chance of silverware.
Manchester United are under huge pressure at present, but are presented with the perfect opportunity to rack up some goals as League One strugglers Tranmere, not least because the Merseyside team face an unbelievable turnaround if they are to get anywhere near peak physical condition, having played their rescheduled 3rd Round replay last night at Prenton Park.
United have a short journey and much to prove. Goal-fest.
The Possible Giant-Killing
Looking for value in underdogs without seeing the teamsheets first is a little like throwing a dart at a dartboard with no lighting in the room. That said, there are possibly two or three ‘Cupsets’ on the cards.
Millwall host a Sheffield United side who are bound to make wholesale changes to their line-up, as they have made their Premier League campaign almost their sole focus this season – and it’s paid off.
Oxford United travel to a Newcastle side packed with injuries, and while the League One side won’t be favourites, they’ll fancy their chances of scoring, having bagged plenty so far in this season’s F.A. Cup.
The Prospective Classic
There are plenty of all-Championship fixtures, such as tonight’s Q.P.R. vs Sheffield Wednesday game which could be very entertaining. The best chance of a classic, however, may come on the South Coast where Southampton host Tottenham Hotspur.
With Mourinho and Hassenhuttl bound to make changes, two leaky defences may have wide gaps in them that can’t contain hungry attackers looking to build confidence ahead of a return to Premier League action. There’s massive history, too. This 1995 F.A. Cup 5th Round Replay featured a Ronnie Rosenthal hat-trick an one of the most ridiculous scores ever to happen in a game that went to extra-time.
F.A. Cup 4th Round Fixtures:
Friday January 24th
Northampton Town vs. Derby County (8pm GMT kick-off)
Queens Park Rangers vs. Sheffield Wednesday (8pm GMT kick-off)
Saturday January 25th
Brentford vs. Leicester City (12.45pm GMT kick-off)
Burnley vs. Norwich City (3pm GMT kick-off)
Coventry City vs. Birmingham City (3pm GMT kick-off)
Millwall vs. Sheffield United (3pm GMT kick-off)
Newcastle United vs. Oxford United (3pm GMT kick-off)
Portsmouth vs. Barnsley (3pm GMT kick-off)
Reading vs. Cardiff City (3pm GMT kick-off)
Southampton vs. Tottenham Hotspur (3pm GMT kick-off)
West Ham United vs. West Bromwich Albion (3pm GMT kick-off)
Hull City vs. Chelsea (5.30pm GMT kick-off)
Sunday January 26th
Manchester City vs. Fulham (1pm GMT kick-off)
Tranmere Rovers vs. Manchester United (3pm GMT kick-off)
Shrewsbury Town vs. Liverpool (5pm GMT kick-off)
Monday January 27th
Bournemouth vs. Arsenal (8pm GMT kick-off)
