The FA Cup – Third Round Preview | OneFootball

Of course, “Third” is a bit of a misnomer, as we’ll explain. You see, the competition to qualify for the FA Cup started back on August 3rd with 442 teams in something called the “Extra Preliminary Round.” Five more of these “qualifying” rounds winnowed down 653 teams to just 20.

And that’s just to get to the First Round. If we were counting proper sequentially like real folks do, we’d be on the Ninth Round now.

Fun fact: Oldland Abbotonions got a check for £375 for losing their “Extra Preliminary Round” match 4-2 to Amersham Town. That’s almost enough to buy a pint for every one of the match’s 78 attendees, assuming they were of legal age. Or maybe they got two pints (and some crisps) for the squad and coaching staff.

But I digress.

In thirty-two fixtures over the next five days, sixty-four teams will attempt to move onto the next round of competition. Twenty of these clubs are winners of the first two rounds, now joined by the forty-four Premier and Championship league clubs (aka the “big lads”). Another fun fact: of the twenty teams who survived the Qualifying Rounds only 2 have made it through to the third round.

Minnows vs. Sharks

One beloved aspect of The FA Cup is the ‘giant-killer’ phenomenon, in which lower tier clubs knockout clubs from higher tiers, particularly if the victor is significantly lower in the league pyramid, or a non-league (outside the top four divisions) side. Yeovil Town recorded 20 such slayings before their promotion to league football in 2003.

There are plenty of sites where you can go to see the full schedule of games, but we here at Hooligan are highlighting our most anticipated fixtures, along with some hot takes.

Everton vs. Peterborough United (Jan. 9)

Good giant-killer potential here. I can’t see Everton fielding all first-team players given that they need PL wins to avoid relegation, and Peterborough, with zero wins in their last five, aren’t quite  as bad as that form would indicate. Plus, who doesn’t want to see 39-year old Ashley Young face up on the Goodison pitch opposite his 18-year son Tyler? That’s FA Cup magic right there.

Aston Villa vs. West Ham United (Jan. 10)

There are two fixtures in this round featuring PL teams facing off. This is the first. Look for West Ham to capitalize on the recent termination of Julen Lopetegui.

Brentford vs. Plymouth Argyle (Jan. 11)

Plymouth are dead last in the Championship, so why would I pick them as a dark horse for this round? Two words: manager bounce. Argyle bosses kicked Wayne Rooney to the curb on Tuesday, and the G-tech is no longer an impregnable redoubt for the Bees.

Manchester City vs. Salford City (Jan. 11)

Clear mismatch on paper here, but I like Salford’s chances. Pep won’t risk injuring his starters, and Salford have notched five wins in a row. Salford’s ownership group includes five former Manchester United players, so there’s some rivalry at play. There is a clear opportunity here for the Ammies to pull a fast one.

Tamworth vs. Tottenham Hotspur (Jan. 12)

Tamworth were on the one hand unlucky to draw Spurs, but then lucky enough to host. The pitch should be a good old fashioned mud fest (see featured image above) and if I were the stadium manager I’d turn off the hot water in the dressing room just to mess with the visitors. Wouldn’t defeat to one of the two non-league teams still in the FA Cup be the absolute pinnacle of Spursiness?

Crystal Palace vs. Stockport County (Jan. 12)

“Welcome to Wrexham” fans will recognize Stockport as the OTHER team that climbed out of non-league and up the ladder in parallel with the Dragons. Despite a recent dip in form, they have a good chance at toppling a Palace team that should be fielding a lot of academy youth.

Arsenal vs. Manchester United (Jan. 12)

The second battle of the “big lads” has taken on larger import after Arsenal’s defeat to Newcastle on Jan. 7 in the Carabao Cup. Pundits will be wondering if Man U’s form stays at the high level they displayed against Liverpool in Game Week 20.