The FA Cup third spherical by no means loses its magic. Every season, the draw for this stage of the competitors is met with a lot pleasure and anticipation, because the 20 Premier League sides and 24 Championship groups enter the fray.
This yr, it’s thrown up precisely what we wish from an FA Cup weekend: native derbies throughout divisions, blockbuster ties and those we relish most – basic David versus Goliath match-ups.
Two non-league groups are nonetheless punching above their weight, and each meet mammoth opposition. Dagenham & Redbridge face second-tier Millwall at The Den, and with lower than 15 miles between the 2 stadiums, it’s set to be full of life.
Elsewhere, fellow Nationwide League membership Tamworth welcome Spurs to The Lamb in one of many standout encounters. A minnow getting to check themselves towards a number of the world’s best expertise – it’s nearly as huge because it will get within the Staffordshire aspect’s 91-year historical past, and doubtlessly a once-in-a-lifetime event for supporters and gamers to savour.
After all, they’d have laughed all the best way to the financial institution had they been drawn to satisfy Tottenham in north London, however as an alternative we get to see how Spurs’ stars fare on a man-made pitch in entrance of a febrile 5,000 crowd, hoping to roar their aspect on to a well-known giant-killing.
The rationale the FA Cup nonetheless holds its magic is as a result of shocks can occur on any given day, irrespective of how enormous the hole between the golf equipment.
That’s what Salford boss Karl Robinson can be stressing when his aspect meet Manchester Metropolis – a neighborhood derby with added chew due to Salford’s Class of ’92 connections. It’s the primary time that the League Two Ammies have ever reached the third spherical, they usually’ll be seeking to benefit from Metropolis’s current troubles and trigger a seismic upset.
The draw additionally threw up a handful of all-Premier League ties, not least holders Manchester United’s heavyweight conflict towards Arsenal on the Emirates. It could lack the romance of a number of the different cross-division showdowns, but it surely does imply the event will lose one of many favourites at this stage. With the 2 most profitable groups in FA Cup historical past going head-to-head so early, it may assist one of many less-favoured outfits to go deep.
Different intriguing pairings embody League Two strugglers Morecambe and Accrington Stanley travelling to Chelsea and Liverpool respectively, whereas there’s a Yorkshire derby between Leeds and Harrogate, League One Stockport tackle top-flight Crystal Palace, and in what might be the ultimate FA Cup match at Goodison Park, Everton host Peterborough wherein we may see Ashley Younger line up towards 18-year-old son Tyler.
In contrast to in earlier campaigns, there can be no replays at this stage of competitors, so all matches can be selected the day. There’s an comprehensible argument that scrapping them solely favours groups additional up the pyramid, as rising issues over participant welfare and an overloaded calendar proceed to ramp up.
Regardless of that, most of the different beloved traditions stay. There’ll nonetheless be tinfoil cardboard cutouts of the trophy, folks watching from rooftops and grown males crying within the crowd.
The FA Cup is undoubtedly the most effective competitions to get pleasure from for supporters. A few of my finest reminiscences as a Brighton fan have come on this event, due to Albion’s current success of reaching the semi-finals twice in 4 years. Positive, the Seagulls misplaced each narrowly to Man Metropolis and Man United, however these days out at Wembley with my household are experiences that may stick with me perpetually.
There was just one underdog winner since Wigan’s last-gasp triumph in 2013. Leicester gained their first FA Cup in 2021, having misplaced 4 earlier finals, however the truth these magical moments occur so hardly ever makes them much more particular.
What provides the FA Cup its lasting stardust is that the sport’s oldest competitors is likely to be so tough to win, however something is feasible. Simply ask Leicester, Wigan or Portsmouth. It permits followers to imagine that it might be their yr.
At this stage, it sounds so easy. All it takes is 4 victories to achieve a Wembley semi, 5 wins to make the ultimate and 6 for silverware and historical past. That’s what each membership within the third spherical is hoping for, to proceed the journey and carry on dreaming.
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