PREVIEW: Macclesfield aim for another FA Cup shock as Brentford visit | OneFootball

Macclesfield FC will welcome Brentford to the Leasing.com Stadium this Monday in the fourth round of the Emirates FA Cup, hoping to pull off another historic upset.

The Silkmen stunned the footballing world last round by knocking out holders Crystal Palace – the biggest FA Cup shock when considering the gap between the two sides in the football pyramid.

Macclesfield entered the competition in the fourth qualifying round back in October, defeating Stamford AFC 1-0 to secure a place in the first round proper. They have since beaten AFC Totton, Slough Town, and Crystal Palace with scores of 6-3, 3-1, and 2-1, respectively.

Brentford, meanwhile, entered at the third round stage and overcame a struggling Sheffield Wednesday side 2-0 at Hillsborough, thanks to goals from Keane Lewis-Potter and Mathias Jensen. After last year’s FA Cup exit to Plymouth Argyle, Brentford will be determined not to fall victim to another giant-killing.

Crystal Palace fielded a rotated squad at the Leasing.com Stadium, but it still featured Adam Wharton and Marc Guehi, with Premier League starters Will Hughes, Tyrick Mitchell, and Brennan Johnson introduced at half-time.

One standout performer for Macclesfield was captain Paul Dawson, who opened the scoring despite a head injury and went on to claim player of the match. The 27-year-old has continued his fine form, scoring against Leamington on Tuesday as Macclesfield secured a 3-1 victory to move into a National League South play-offs spot.

Macclesfield are managed by John Rooney, brother of Wayne Rooney, who took charge at the start of the season following the end of his playing career. Rooney has overseen 37 matches so far, securing 22 wins and guiding the team towards a potential fourth promotion in five years since the club reformed in 2020. Speaking ahead of the Brentford clash, Rooney described it as “the biggest game of our season…but one we’re massively looking forward to.”

Brentford arrive off the back of a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Thursday, with Keane Lewis-Potter scoring the equaliser. The Bees have lost just twice in 2026 so far, winning five of their nine games, a run that has lifted them to seventh in the Premier League and in contention for European qualification next season.

A victory for Macclesfield would allow them to set a new benchmark, breaking their own record for the biggest FA Cup upset in terms of league position.

The match kicks off on Monday, February 16, at 7:30pm UK time at the Leasing.com Stadium and is live on TNT Sports.