Wrexham Kicks Off the FA Cup Third Round | OneFootball

It’s that time of the year again. The frost gleams brightly in the morning sunshine. The wind cuts bitingly through the barren trees. And the oldest continuous soccer tournament in the world continues its relentless momentum towards crowning one English/Welsh club triumphant over all others.

The FA Cup

We enter Round 3 on Friday. As a quick refresher, the FA Cup is open to any club within the ten levels of the English soccer pyramid. Lower tier teams begin their journey back in August in one of five “pre-qualification” rounds. As they win single-elimination matches, teams from higher tiers begin to enter the fray. Eventually sixteen clubs (out of the 665 who started) will survive and make the leap from pre-qualification into the first round proper.

It’s at this point when the “big fish” from the top four tiers of English soccer begin to appear. EFL League Two and League One show up in the first round; the EFL Championship and Premier League in the third round. Which is where we are.

Over the next four days all of England will be fixating on matches playing in all corners of the country. This article focuses on those happening Friday. All matches kick off at 2:30pm ET and will be streamed on ESPN+.

Wrexham vs. Nottingham Forest

WrexhamEFL ChampionshipCurrent Position: 8th (of 24)

Arguably one of the most recognizable clubs not in the Premier League, Wrexham hosting Nottingham Forest in their historic Racecourse ground makes for a great story. The Dragons continue to defy expectations, sitting in 8th place in the Championship and only a single point off a play-off spot. And this in their first season after back-to-back-to-back promotions from the non-EFL 5th tier. Coming off four straight victories, expectations will be high. Expect fine voice and support from the locals, and a more-than-likely celebrity sighting in the owner’s box.

Nottingham ForestPremier LeagueCurrent Position: 17th (of 20)

This is Forest’s third game since Jan. 3rd, all of them on the road. That’s a grueling enough schedule to test any side. They have a bit of a lift after that late penalty-kick win over West Ham, but will find Wrexham a much more difficult opponent.

Milton Keynes Dons vs. Oxford United

Milton Keynes DonsLeague TwoCurrent Position: 5th (of 24)

We have a potential giant-killing here. They’ve scored more goals than any other club in League Two (48), and given Oxford’s defensive woes should press them hard. Expect goals from forwards Callum Patterson (8g/7a) and Alex Gilbey (8g/3a), who supply much of Dons’ firepower. Trivia: Founded in 2004 after a controversial relocation from Wimbledon to Milton Keynes, Dons is one of the youngest clubs in the EFL.

Oxford UnitedEFL ChampionshipCurrent Position: 23rd (of 24)

They’re not the worst defensive team in the Championship, but they’re pretty bad. Having to go on the road into a hostile stadium to face strong opposition (regardless of tier) will be a challenge. The U’s will be heavily dependent on 20 year old striker Will Lankshear to give them any chance of avoiding an embarrassing defeat.

Port Vale vs. Fleetwood Town

Port ValeLeague OneCurrent Position: 24th (of 24)

Dead last in the standings, and with only four wins all season (two of these at home), this fixture doesn’t look promising for the Valiants. Their only plus: they’re coming in on a high after a 5 – 1 win on New Year’s Day.

Fleetwood TownLeague TwoCurrent Position: 13th (of 24)

Sitting dead center of League Two, Fleetwood Town are the very definition of a mid-table side looking to make a splash. Striker Ryan Gradon has 8g/3a to lead the side, but has not yet scored in the Cup. The team has also not scored a free kick goal. With only 14 places between them, Fleetwood will like their chances to take down a free-falling Port Vale, despite being on the road.

Preston North End vs. Wigan Athletic

Preston North EndEFL ChampionshipCurrent Position: 4th (of 24)

The Invincibles are chasing promotion to the Premier League, which begs the question of how seriously they’ll take this tie. Sure, they’ll play to win but they have eyes on a bigger prize. They’ve only lost two games at home this season, and have conceded the third fewest goals in the Championship. Defeating them will be a challenge.

Wigan AthleticLeague OneCurrent Position: 15th (of 24)

Winning this tie will be a tall ask for Wigan. With only one win in their last five fixtures, and an unconvincing 2nd round win over League Two’s Barrow, they’re not entering the Deepdale grounds with much momentum.