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 its 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.

Last season’s beaten finalists, Manchester City, face third-tier Exeter City, only three days after being held to a gut-wrenching 1-1 draw to Premier League underachievers 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, being given 11/2 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

Mikel Arteta’s charges head to Fratton Park to meet Championship bottom-half strugglers Portsmouth in their first showdown since March 2020, when the Gunners claimed a comfortable 2-0 win in this competition.

Arsenal’s pursuit of their first top-flight title since 2003/04 took a minor blow on Thursday as out-of-sorts Liverpool held them to a scoreless draw at the Emirates Stadium.

However, during his interview with Sky Sport, Arteta explained how he manages to keep 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 give some rest to his key starters.

Anything other than Arsenal’s clear-cut victory 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 considered 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 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, with the Blues trying to find a way out of a five-game winless run.

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, though 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 goal-glutted 2-2 draw at Turf Moor.

According to talkSPORT, former Man Utd manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has emerged as a frontrunner 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 in North London 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 the Dane’s stint in the capital.

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