It’s FA Cup third spherical weekend, one of many greatest events within the English soccer calendar, when lower-league minnows get the possibility to tackle a few of the greatest groups on the earth in true David vs. Goliath encounters.
While 14-time FA Cup winners Arsenal tackle holders and 13-time winners Manchester United within the heavyweight conflict of the spherical on the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea all face groups from EFL League Two. Oh, and Tottenham go to National League strugglers Tamworth — virtually 100 locations separate the 2 golf equipment within the English soccer pyramid — at their 4,900-capacity floor referred to as The Lamb.
FA Cup historical past is suffering from shocks and so-called giant-killings, together with fourth-tier Wrexham beating reigning league champions Arsenal in 1992, third-tier Leeds United successful at Premier League champions Manchester United in 2010 and sixth-tier Maidstone United, of the National League South, successful away at Premier League-bound Ipswich Town final season.
So who will pull off the largest shock this time, and what are the storylines to look out for? ESPN has recognized the ties with the most effective tales and largest shock worth this weekend.
Ashley Young received the FA Cup with Manchester United in 2016 and the Everton defender will get the possibility to create an much more private cup reminiscence by going through his teenage son on this third-round tie at Goodison Park.
Tyler Young, 18, made his skilled debut for League One aspect Peterborough in October and will guarantee a Father versus Son by being named in supervisor Darren Ferguson’s squad for the sport. Ferguson, in fact, is the son of former United supervisor Sir Alex, who signed Ashley Young for the Premier League membership in 2011.
With Ashley on the senior finish of the dimensions at 39 and Tyler nonetheless an unproven teen, this may very well be a tie when one or each make an look from the substitutes’ bench, however Ashley has already spoken of the likelihood being a “dream come true.”
As Ashley posted on X:
WOW………. Dreams Might Come True 🙏🏾🤞🏾💙#FaCup #GoosebumpsMoment #YoungVsYoung
— Ashley Young (@youngy18) December 2, 2024
This FA Cup conflict is about one factor: milk!
In 1989, Accrington Stanley, then a part-time membership within the non-league after going out of enterprise as a Football League aspect in 1962, turned the butt of a joke in a UK television commercial by the Milk Marketing Board through which two younger Liverpool supporters argue over a drink of milk. One fan tells his buddy that Ian Rush, Liverpool’s all-time main goalscorer, had stated that “if I do not drink numerous milk, after I develop up, I’ll solely be adequate to play for Accrington Stanley!”
His buddy replies by saying, “Accrington Stanley? Who are they?” prompting the primary youngster to say, “Exactly!” in response.
The industrial has since turn into a cult basic, and Saturday’s tie at Anfield will solely be the second-ever assembly of the 2 golf equipment and the primary for the reason that 1955-56 FA Cup. In the years for the reason that industrial, Accrington have loved a renaissance and returned the Football League in 2009 and the membership has maintained an extended custom of using Liverpudlian footballers who’ve been unable to make the grade with Liverpool or Everton.
If you need to know what it means to Accrington’s gamers to have the possibility of enjoying towards Liverpool, check out the reaction of Accrington ahead Josh Woods when the draw was made.
An under-achieving membership overshadowed by a mighty neighbour till the arrival of a rich benefactor, vs. an under-achieving membership overshadowed by a mighty neighbour till the arrival of a gaggle of rich benefactors who made their title with the mighty neighbour. Welcome to Manchester City vs. Salford City: it is a tie between two golf equipment lower than 5 miles aside, however with the added spice of Salford being owned by the Class of 92, the famed group of younger gamers who fashioned the spine of Manchester United’s 1999 Treble winners.
Since shopping for Salford in 2014, when the membership had been seven ranges under the Premier League, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Gary and Phil Neville have taken the membership into the EFL. They have been described because the “Man City of the decrease leagues,” with Salford’s big-spending (in non-league phrases) incomes comparisons to City’s transformation below Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan since his 2008 takeover on the Etihad.
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Salford’s astronomic rise has hit the buffers in recent times, with the membership nonetheless in League Two after 5 seasons, however this tie is all about the owners and the very distant prospect of an enormous upset towards City so as to add to the successes they loved whereas enjoying for United.
This is a basic cup tie involving a non-league minnow at residence towards one of many greatest names in English soccer. Tiny Tamworth are taking up Tottenham, whose file of eight FA Cup wins is bettered solely by Arsenal and Manchester United. Tamworth’s stadium, The Lamb, has a synthetic floor and guests’ altering rooms which can be too small to accommodate all the Spurs squad and their workers.
Mid-table within the National League, England’s fifth tier, Tamworth would pull off one of many greatest shocks in FA Cup historical past in the event that they had been to defeat Spurs. Lincoln City had been the final staff from outdoors the EFL to win towards a Premier League aspect within the FA Cup after they defeated Burnley at Turf Moor in 2017, whereas Sutton United‘s 2-1 residence win towards Coventry City in 1989 was the newest non-league win towards a top-flight aspect.
But as one of many Premier League’s so-called Big Six, Spurs can be the largest title to fall towards non-league aspect in the event that they had been to be on the unsuitable finish of an upset. The club’s joy at being drawn towards a Premier League opponent exhibits they’re prepared for the problem.
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Everyone loves an FA Cup fairytale, however when two giants collide on the third-round stage, the tie will seize the headlines and Arsenal’s conflict towards United sees the cup’s most successful-ever sides go head-to-head for a spot within the fourth spherical.
The Gunners have not gone past the fourth spherical since lifting the cup for a file 14th time after beating Chelsea in 2020, whereas 13-time winners United emerged with the cup for less than the second time since 2004 after defeating Manchester City at Wembley final season.
Sunday’s sport would be the fifteenth FA Cup encounter between the 2 groups with United successful eight, Arsenal 5 and one draw. It is a cup rivalry that has thrown up a few of the most memorable moments in FA Cup historical past together with Ryan Giggs’s solo purpose winner within the 1999 semifinal replay, Alan Sunderland scoring a last-minute winner within the 1979 Final and Arsenal successful the first-ever penalty shoot-out in a last when beating United in 2005.
Sunday’s sport should be selected the day, with no extra replays within the cup this season, so count on extra drama.
Less than 20 miles separate EFL Championship aspect Leeds United and League Two staff Harrogate Town, however the two will meet for the first time in a competitive fixture in Saturday’s tie at Elland Road.
And whereas the golf equipment are actually simply two divisions aside, it’s a true David vs. Goliath tie. When Leeds received the league title in 1992 — the yr earlier than the beginning of the Premier League — Harrogate had been enjoying within the seventh-tier Northern Premier League and had beforehand welcomed Leeds to their tiny 5,000-capacity Wetherby Road stadium to formally activate the membership’s new floodlights.
Harrogate is a genteel spa city, residence of old style tea rooms and mineral springs, whereas Leeds is an industrial powerhouse metropolis of 500,000 folks, with a soccer membership regarded by many as the largest outdoors the Premier League. Having been promoted to the EFL for the primary time in 2020, Harrogate proceed to punch above their weight in League Two, however it could be a historic cup upset in the event that they had been to win.
Newcastle are arguably probably the most unsuccessful large membership anyplace on the earth resulting from a trophy drought courting again to 1969, when the Magpies received the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup — the event that turned the UEFA Cup and is now the Europa League. The final of Newcastle’s six FA Cups got here in 1955, so Eddie Howe’s staff might finish a 70-year wait to turn into cup winners this season.
Standing of their approach are League Two aspect Bromley, who had been promoted to the EFL for the primary time of their historical past by successful the National League Play-Off last final season.
Andy Woodman spent 5 years at Newcastle because the membership’s goalkeeper coach between 2010 and 2015, however his claim to fame is co-authoring a book with greatest buddy Gareth Southgate in 2004 referred to as “Woody & Nord: A Football Friendship,” which received greatest autobiography on the British Book Awards for chronicling their relationship and contrasting careers within the sport.
This tie is a repeat of the 1959 FA Cup Final, when Forest final lifted the cup courtesy of a purpose scored by Elton John’s cousin.
Back in 1959, Roy Dwight was the star of the household, with youthful cousin Reginald only a 12-year-old with goals of creating it as a pop star. After altering his title to Elton John, Reginald rapidly put Roy within the shade along with his musical achievements, regardless that Roy retained the uncommon distinction of scoring a purpose to assist his staff win an FA Cup last earlier than breaking his leg in the identical sport.
Fast ahead to 2025 and Forest are flying excessive within the Premier League below Nuno Espirito Santo and one of many outsiders with hopes of successful the FA Cup this season.
