FA Cup third round preview: Five must-watch fixtures | OneFootball

The oldest cup competition in European football returns to action this weekend as the FA Cup gears up for the third round.

Defending champions Crystal Palace travel to Moss Rose to take on sixth-tier Macclesfield, seeking their first win in any competition since early December.

Manchester City face Exeter City, only three days after being held to a gut-wrenching 1-1 draw to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Priced at 9/2, Pep Guardiola’s men are the top candidates to win their eighth title in this competition, with Liverpool, who encounter Barnsley at home, rated as 11/2 shots to ascend the throne.

Despite leading the way in the Premier League and sitting at the top of the Champions League table, Arsenal (13/2) are only the third-favourites to dethrone Palace.

Without further ado, let’s look at the five must-watch third-round fixtures.

Portsmouth vs Arsenal

Arsenal head to Fratton Park to meet Championship strugglers Portsmouth in their first showdown since March 2020. The Gunners claimed a comfortable 2-0 win in this competition.

The Premier League leaders suffered a minor blow on Thursday as out-of-sorts Liverpool held them to a scoreless draw at the Emirates Stadium.

During his interview with Sky Sports, manager Mikel Arteta explained how he keeps the squad happy and united despite stiff competition for places.

Sunday’s match could be an ideal opportunity for Guardiola’s former assistant to rotate his squad and rest some of his key starters.

Anything other than a clear-cut victory for Arsenal would be a major surprise, not least because Portsmouth’s last win over the record-time FA Cup winners dates back to 1958.

Newcastle United vs Bournemouth

Fresh off a stunning late comeback to beat Leeds United 4-3, Newcastle United entertain Bournemouth at St James’ Park in one of the standout third-round fixtures.

Like their hosts, the Cherries emerged victorious in midweek Premier League action, with Anthony Semenyo netting a late winner against Tottenham Hotspur in his farewell game at the Vitality Stadium.

Despite being rated as the pre-match favourites at 17/20, the Magpies cannot take anything for granted, as they’ve failed to beat Bournemouth in their last six meetings in all competitions.

Charlton Athletic vs Chelsea

Liam Rosenior’s touchline debut pits out-of-form Chelsea against second-tier Charlton Athletic at The Valley in their first meeting since 2007.

This clash feels like a prime opportunity for the Stamford Bridge giants to end their rough patch and for Rosenior to get his tenure off to a winning start, given the substantial gulf in class.

Adding to this sentiment, Charlton head into proceedings on a four-match winless streak, although it’s worth noting that three of those four games came on the road.

Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion

Man Utd’s post-Ruben Amorim era started with a whimper rather than a bang as Burnley held interim boss Darren Fletcher to a 2-2 draw at Turf Moor.

According to talkSPORT, former Man Utd manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has emerged as a front-runner for the job despite his underwhelming stint at Besiktas earlier this year.

However, Fletcher will be at the helm when the Red Devils lock horns with Brighton this weekend, facing an opportunity to win back-to-back head-to-heads for the first time since 2022.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Aston Villa

With the pressure on Thomas Frank at an all-time high, Spurs host Aston Villa after a stomach-wrenching 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth on Wednesday.

Frank’s underperforming side won just once in their last six outings, and another slip-up could spell the end of his stint in the capital.

Unfortunately for Tottenham, they’re up against a high-flying Villa side, whose only loss since November 6 came against Arsenal in their final match of 2025.