FA Cup 4th Round Preview and Selections

The FA Cup 4th Round doesn’t have quite the number of clichés or amount of affection as the previous round does, some unfairly call it the poorer cousin of Round 3, or don’t care at all.

Their loss, in our opinion it has plenty, if not more interest than Round 3 where the EPL sides first join the tournament. It usually has much better match ups without most of the hype of the previous round.

All the big 6 EPL names remain as we head into FA Cup Round 3, and whilst some did it a bit harder than others, it is very hard to see anyone outside the Top 6 winning the cup at this stage. Although, it will be a wait and see for future rounds that may draw these teams together.

But with Chelsea appearing to be running away with the EPL, the FA Cup provides a last opportunity to win something, and for those top 6 sides who may not even finish in the Champions League positions it will provide a season highlight for the fans.

At this stage the top 6 at minimum will be looking to avoid a replay and a return leg at the lower league’s grounds. Although it is great for the smaller teams.

However the FA Cup 4th Round is not all about the Big teams, there’s still enough lesser lights left to create some interest, and eye off a potential scalp.

3 THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO

• Adebayo Akinfenwa aka The Beast tearing it up against against Tottenham. He gave Liverpool plenty of trouble when he played them as an AFC Wimbledon player a few seasons to go, and it would be great to see the Official strongest man in Football at it again.
• Sutton United v Leeds United. Finally the TV coverage abandons the EPL and shows a game of real interest. Non League Sutton United trying for a big upsets against former powerhouse side Leeds United.
• One of the big 6 getting knocked out. Although unfortunately that seems unlikely in the FA Cup 4th round this year.

WHO ARE THE MINNOWS LEFT IN THE FA CUP 4th ROUND

NON LEAGUE NO NAMES

Happily for those who like an underdog, there are still two Non League teams left in the FA Cup 4th round. Both take on in form second division (Championship) opponents, so it may well be a last hurrah. But who knows.

LINCOLN CITY – Lincoln City – known as The Imps – are well on their way to returning to the Football League’s top 4 divisions as they currently sit top of the National Premier League (5th tier). They have twice thoroughly outplayed an Ipswich Town side who deserved their second straight embarrassing exit as thoroughly. High flyers Brighton will provide a much sterner test though.

SUTTON UNITED – Sutton United like Lincoln needed a replay against AFC Wimbledon, a team less than 10 kms away. Sutton United caused one of the FA Cup biggest upsets in 1988 when they knocked out the holders of the previous year’s Cup Coventry (then 1st div) as a Non League side. They sit 14 places behind Lincoln, and their opposition doesn’t get much easier as they play in form Leeds United.

OTHER LOWER LEAGUE MINNOWS

LEAGUE TWO (Fourth Division) – Current League position in brackets.

BLACKPOOL (13th), ACCRINGTON STANLEY (20th), WYCOMBE WANDERERS (5th)

LEAGUE ONE – Current League position in brackets.

MILLWALL (9th), OXFORD UNITED (12th), ROCHDALE (6th)

CHAMPIONSHIP – 11 Teams remain

• 5 Non EPL sides are guaranteed passage to the fifth round
• 9 more games are Football League v EPL match ups, s more may join the last 16.

ANY FA CUP 4TH ROUND UPSETS?

As much as the third round of the FA Cup is hype, by myself included, the percentage of upsets to games ratio is just as good if not better in the FA Cup 4th round.

In a strange statistic, it appears that every two years there are a good chunk of upsets.

In 2015 Bradford knocked out Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, 2nd tier Middlesbrough beat Manchester City in Manchester, and Manchester United needed a replay against 4th tier Cambridge.

2013 saw Oldham knock out Liverpool, 3rd tier Milton Keynes defeat QPR at home, and Non League Luton Town capped it off by beating then mid table EPL side Norwich.

In the years in between there was nothing too notable, so can 2017 continue the trend of every second year? Probably not, but here’s a few games that could produce a mild surprise. Not that the tips provided for the third round were that great.

MILLWALL v WATFORD – Millwall have already knocked out an EPL side in Bournemouth in the previous round, and Watford aren’t going a great deal better than the Cherries. Millwall have their backs to the wall with their home ground in danger of being swallowed up by local development, so will be keen to prove something on the field. Especially taking another EPL scalp. And fellow London club.

DERBY COUNTY v LEICESTER – The first game of the round on Friday night UK Time has a great record of an upset. As good a record as Leicester’s away record is bad this season. Derby are threatening to challenge for promotion again and will be tough.

ACCRINGTON STANLEY v MIDDLESBROUGH – Fourth division Accrington aren’t going very well, sitting 20th in League Two, but Middlesbrough aren’t going that great in the EPL despite looking safe for now. Depending on the side they put out, a draw is a real possibility for the EPL side. Although the match may give new recruits a chance to impress.

OXFORD UNITED v NEWCASTLE – Newcastle are busy making their way back to the EPL, so may take their mind off the FA Cup. Their recent record in the FA Cup and against lower league opposition isn’t great, so Oxford have some chance at home to the Magpies.

BLACKPOOL v BLACKBURN – Blackburn aren’t going very well in the Championship, and whilst they should dispose of a mid table fourth tier side, nothing has gone to plan for them since the takeover saw them drop from the EPL to their current position of second last in the second division.

LIVERPOOL v WOLVES – If Liverpool give opposition as many chances as they did against Swansea in the EPL last weekend, then it could be another replay against Wolves. They proved last round that their second string isn’t overly strong, and have League Cup distractions too.

FA CUP 4th ROUND TV COVERAGE

Great news for those who love their FA Cup or can’t sleep as 7 of the 16 games are televised via Foxtel on the ESPN channels. Whilst the mandatory all EPL tie and Manchester Untied fixture are included, there are some interesting games amongst the seven. Times are Australian, Eastern Daylight Savings time for those lucky enough to have it.

Sat  6:50am – DERBY COUNTRY v LECIESTER CITY – ESPN 2
Sat 11:25pm – LIVERPOOL v WOLVES – ESPN 2
Sun 1:55am – CHELSEA v BRENTFORD – ESPN 1
Sun 1:55am – SPURS v WYCOMBE WANDERERS and Adebayo Akinfenwa – ESPN 2
Sun 4:25am – SOUTHAMPTON v ARSENAL – ESPN 2
Sun 11:55pm – SUTTON UNITED v LEEDS UNITED – ESPN 2
Mon 2:55am – MANCHESTER UNITED v WIGAN ATHLETIC – ESPN 1

GURGLER’S FA CUP 4th ROUND MULTI SELECTIONS

HOME COMFORTS

CHELSEA to beat Brentford
SPURS to beat Wycombe
BURNLEY to beat Bristol City

Potential Payout for $1 around $2.30

AWAY PAYS

BRIGHTON to beat Lincoln
MANCHESTER CITY to beat Crystal Palace
HUDDERSFIELD to beat Rochdale
ARSENAL to beat Southampton

Potential Payout for $1 around $12.

SUNDAY MONEY SUNDAY

MILLWALL to beat Watford
FULHAM or DRAW v Hull
MANCHESTER UNITED to beat Wigan
BOTH SIDES TO SCORE – Sutton Utd v Leeds Utd

Potential Payout for $1 around $8.

POTENTIAL CUPSETS

DERBY to beat Leicester
ACCRINGTON STANLEY or DRAW v Middlesbrough
MILLWALL to beat Watford
OXFORD or DRAW v Newcastle
BLACKPOOL or Draw v Blackburn

Potential Payout for $1 around $80.
FULL FIXTURE LIST