The FA Cup returns for ithe fifth round this week as the last 16 teams remaining in the competition look to progress one step further in the hunt for eventual silverware come the end of the season.
The eight games are sure to provide plenty of drama and action with some all-English Premier League matchups, while other games see the potential for big upsets that the FA Cup so often provides.
With this, read on as we pick out five talking points ahead of this week’s FA Cup matches:
1 – Maidstone United to continue their fairytale run?
Maidstone United have already made history by so much as reaching this year’s FA Cup fifth round, with them becoming the first team from outside the top five divisions to do so since Blyth Spartans in 1978.
If they are to continue this fairytale run then they must beat yet another EFL Championship promotion candidate in the form of Coventry City. While they will take confidence from their victory over Ipswich Town in the previous round, they will have to fight once again if they are to beat Coventry City as well.
2 – Manchester City favourites to win again
Manchester City famously completed the treble last season which included winning the FA Cup against their rivals Manchester United, courtesy of two goals from Ilkay Gundogan.
With them still in the hunt for the Premier League title and favourites for the UEFA Champions League, they will be hoping that they can replicate last season’s success in the FA Cup and take home the trophy once again. Thanks to Arsenal’s loss in the last round to Liverpool, City are now arguably the favourites to go on and achieve this feat.
Their fifth round sees them travel to Kenilworth Road to take on Luton Town in a game that they will fancy themselves to win and progress into the last eight.
3 – Liverpool on the hunt for further silverware
If anyone is to stop Manchester City from claiming back-to-back FA Cup victories then it is likely Liverpool.
Liverpool are coming off the back of a fantastic 1-0 win in extra-time over Chelsea in the EFL Cup Final, which saw the Reds pick up the first of four available trophies this season. This marked the start of a brilliant farewell tour for manager Jurgen Klopp who is stepping down at the end of the season, and they’ll be looking to add the FA Cup to their trophy cabinet come the end of the season.
4 – Brighton and Wolves in tough one to call
Brighton and Wolves make up one of just three all-Premier League matchups, with the other two being Luton Town vs Manchester City and Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United. This matchup has the potential to be the most exciting of the three with there seemingly being no clear favourite to go on and win the tie.
Brighton currently sit just one place above Wolves in the league with them residing in seventh place, with only a point being the difference between the two sides. Both sides also come into the game in good form, with Brighton winning three of their last six and Wolves winning four.
With this, we expect that this game will go on to be one of the most entertaining of the FA Cup fifth round.
5 – Chelsea hoping to make up for EFL Cup misery
Chelsea come into their FA Cup fifth-round tie hoping to begin making up for their devastating loss in the EFL Cup. A 118th-minute goal from Virgil van Dijk saw Liverpool score the only goal of the game as they went on to win 1-0, making this Chelsea’s sixth domestic cup final loss in a row.
With their game seeing them come up against Championship side Leeds United they will be hoping they can get back to winning ways in fairly comfortable fashion. However, Leeds are unlikely to be an easy task for Chelsea with them second in the Championship and currently on a 12-game unbeaten run.
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by Tope Toyosi
Final, which saw the Reds pick up the first of four available trophies this season. This marked the start of a brilliant farewell tour for
by Tope Toyosi
Toyosi