FA Cup preview: Can Grimsby Town become latest giant slayers?
Wrexham AFC’s cinderella run a the FA Cup is over, however English soccer’s most prestigious event rolls on with the promise of providing up some extra exceptional tales.
The fifth spherical of the FA Cup, which runs from Feb. 28 to March 1, options eight matches in whole, together with Premier League aspect Southampton internet hosting lowly Grimsby Town, who compete within the English fourth division.
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Here’s what you’ll want to know concerning the FA Cup’s fifth spherical.
Single-elimination format
The eight matches that make up the fifth spherical are all single elimination and never two-legged, home-and-away affairs. If a workforce loses, they’re eradicated.
In earlier rounds, if a sport was tied after 90 minutes of regulation time, a replay match was scheduled for a later date to find out who moved on.
But there aren’t any replays on this spherical. If a sport is tied after 90 minutes, it goes to additional time after which a penalty shootout (if needed) to find out the winner. The eight winners advance to the quarterfinals, which kicks off on March 18.
Stoke City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
Second-division membership Stoke City welcomes Premier League aspect Brighton & Hove Albion to Bet365 Stadium on Tuesday (2:15 p.m. ET) in what is going to solely be the second FA Cup assembly between the 2 golf equipment. Stoke defeated Brighton 1-0 within the fifth spherical throughout the 2010-11 event en path to reaching the FA Cup finals for the primary time in its historical past.
Even although Brighton performs in a better division in the mean time, it hasn’t had a lot success in opposition to Stoke over time. The Seagulls are winless of their final 10 video games in all competitions in opposition to the Potters (eight losses) since registering a 1-0 win in 2001.
Keep an eye fixed on Scottish ahead Jacob Brown, who has three targets in his earlier 4 FA Cup appearances for Stoke.
Leicester City vs. Blackburn Rovers
Another battle between groups in numerous divisions takes place when the Premier League’s Leicester City hosts second tier outfit Blackburn Rovers at King Power Stadium on Tuesday (2:30 p.m. ET).
These golf equipment final clashed within the FA Cup throughout the 2004-05 event when Paul Dickov scored in a 1-0 win within the quarterfinals. Leicester has a penchant for efficiently navigating its fifth-round matches within the FA Cup, successful its final three by way of 1-0 residence victories in 2018, 2020 and 2021. Blackburn hasn’t reached the fifth spherical since struggling a 2-1 residence loss to Manchester United in 2018.
Blackburn can be properly suggested to maintain shut tabs on Kelechi Iheanacho. The Nigerian ahead scored the decisive targets for Leicester in its third- and fourth-round wins this season, and he has 17 FA Cup targets to his credit score since 2016 — greater than some other participant throughout that point.
Fulham vs. Leeds United
It’s an all-Premier League affair on Tuesday (2:45 p.m. ET) when Leeds United pays a go to to Craven Cottage for its first ever FA Cup assembly in opposition to Fulham.
Incredibly, seven completely different gamers have scored for Leeds in its present FA Cup run, together with Dominican fullback Junior Firpo who netted the winner in opposition to third-division workforce Accrington Stanley within the fourth spherical.
But Leeds have had a tricky time of it in opposition to Premier League golf equipment over time, struggling shutout losses in every of their final 5 FA Cup video games in opposition to high tier opponents.
Fulham earned a 3-2 win over Leeds at Elland Road in Premier League motion earlier this season.
Bristol City vs. Manchester City
Second-division aspect Bristol City could have its fingers full with the Premier League’s Manchester at Ashton Gate Stadium on Tuesday (3:00 p.m. ET) if latest historical past is any indication.
Man City have received every of their earlier 12 FA Cup contests in opposition to decrease division golf equipment by a mixed rating of 42-8. The Blues have additionally received 10 consecutive highway video games within the FA Cup, a run that dates again to 2019.
Bristol City, in the meantime, have been eradicated in 13 of their final 14 matches within the fifth spherical of the FA Cup — their final win at this stage of the competitors got here throughout the 1973-74 event.
This would be the first ever FA Cup contest between the 2 groups, however they did meet within the semifinals of the 2017-18 League Cup, when Manchester City received each legs.
Southampton vs. Grimsby Town
All eyes can be on the fourth division’s Grimsby Town, the lowest-ranked workforce remaining on this season’s FA Cup, once they play away to the Premier League’s Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium on Wednesday (2:15 p.m. E.T.)
Grimsby Town have already knocked off 4 higher-ranked groups on this season’s competitors. But any probability of one other big slaying appears unlikely, contemplating that Southampton have misplaced simply one in every of their 32 FA Cup matches in opposition to a lower-division membership. The Saints have additionally progressed to the quarterfinals over the past two seasons.
Grimsby Town beforehand reached the fifth spherical in 1995-96 once they misplaced to Chelsea.
Burnley vs. Fleetwood Town
The solely matchup of the FA Cup fifth spherical not involving a Premier League workforce will happen when second-division aspect Burnley welcome third-tier membership Fleetwood Town to Turf Moor on Wednesday (2:30 p.m. ET).
The fifth spherical has been a significant impediment for Burnley over time — the Clarets have misplaced every of their final six fifth-round matches and haven’t superior to the quarterfinals because the 2002-03 marketing campaign. In distinction, that is Fleetwood Town’s first look within the fifth spherical because the membership’s formation in 1908.
Burnley have scored six occasions on this season’s FA Cup, with Manuel Benson, Nathan Tella and Anass Zaroury every bagging a brace.
Wednesday’s match is the primary assembly in any competitors between the golf equipment.
Manchester United vs. West Ham United
Manchester United welcome West Ham United to Old Trafford on Wednesday (2:45 p.m. ET) in one in every of solely two all-Premier League matchups within the fifth spherical.
The Red Devils and the Hammers are acquainted dance companions within the FA Cup, as this week’s sport marks the twelfth assembly between the perimeters within the competitors. United received the final match 1-0 within the fifth spherical of the 2020-21 event. West Ham’s earlier win got here in 2001 courtesy of a objective from Paolo Di Canio.
Old Trafford has served as a fortress within the FA Cup over time. Man United have received 13 of their earlier 15 residence matches (with two attracts) — the final visiting workforce to beat Man United within the event was Arsenal in 2015.
Incredibly, Manchester United have superior of their final 12 fifth-round video games since a 1-0 loss to Liverpool within the 2005-06 marketing campaign.
Sheffield United vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Fresh off dumping Wrexham AFC out of the event by way of a fourth-round replay, second-tier aspect Sheffield United faces a a lot harder evaluation when it hosts Tottenham at Bramall Lane on Wednesday (2:55 p.m. ET)
Tottenham are aiming to achieve the quarterfinals for the primary time since 2017-18 after dropping within the fifth spherical in every of the earlier three seasons.
Son Heung-min has been the Spurs’ go-to man within the FA Cup. The South Korean worldwide has 14 targets and 11 assists in 27 FA Cup appearances since making his debut within the competitors in 2016.
Wednesday marks the primary FA Cup contest between the golf equipment since Sheffield registered a 3-0 win within the fourth spherical of the 1957-58 event.
John Molinaro is without doubt one of the main soccer journalists in Canada, having coated the sport for over 20 years for a number of media shops, together with Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is at the moment the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, an internet site devoted to in-depth protection of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer. TFC Republic might be discovered right here.
