FA Cup Fourth Round: Previewing Games Involving Premier League Sides

The FA Cup fourth round is upon us, with 17 Premier League clubs vying for a place in the next stage of England’s most prestigious cup competition. Arsenal, Brentford and West Ham United are the only top-flight teams missing out, having been eliminated in the third round. Their early exits grant them a rare weekend off to recharge ahead of the Premier League’s return.

Here’s all you need to know about the Premier League’s involvement in the FA Cup fourth round.

FA Cup Fourth Round Fixtures (All Times UTC)

Friday, 7 February

20:00 – Manchester United vs Leicester City

Saturday, 8 February

12:15 – Leeds United vs Millwall
12:15 – Leyton Orient vs Manchester City
15:00 – Coventry City vs Ipswich Town
15:00 – Everton vs AFC Bournemouth
15:00 – Preston vs Wycombe Wanderers
15:00 – Southampton vs Burnley
15:00 – Stoke City vs Cardiff City
15:00 – Wigan Athletic vs Fulham
17:45 – Birmingham City vs Newcastle United
20:00 – Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea

Sunday, 9 February

12:30 – Blackburn Rovers vs Wolves
15:00 – Plymouth vs Liverpool
17:35 – Aston Villa vs Spurs

Monday, 10 February

19:45 – Doncaster Rovers vs Crystal Palace

Tuesday, 11 February

20:00 – Exeter City vs Nottingham Forest

When is the Fifth-Round Draw?

All ties will be decided on the day, as there are no replays in the FA Cup this season. The victorious teams will be drawn into the fifth round after Spurs’ clash with Villa on Sunday evening. Fifth-round fixtures are scheduled for the weekend of 1-2 March.

Ruud Returns to Old Trafford

The action begins with Manchester United welcoming Leicester City, managed by their former caretaker boss Ruud van Nistelrooy. The Dutchman has struggled at Leicester, securing just three wins in 12 games, but United’s form is equally unconvincing, with five losses in their last seven home matches.

United progressed by knocking out Arsenal in the previous round and could debut new signing Patrick Dorgu, who joined from Lecce in the January window. Leicester last faced United in the FA Cup in 2020/21, winning 3-1 en route to lifting the trophy.

Premier League Clashes and Key Matchups

There are three other all-Premier League fixtures. Bournemouth visit an Everton side revitalised under David Moyes, having won their last three league games. A victory would see the Toffees enter next week’s Merseyside derby on a four-match winning streak.

Villa vs Spurs is another high-profile clash, featuring several new faces. Marcus Rashford could make his debut for Villa following his loan move from United, while Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi may also feature. Spurs, dealing with an injury crisis, could call upon recent signings Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel, who made their debuts in the EFL Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool.

Brighton and Chelsea face off in the final all-Premier League tie. This fixture will be the first of two meetings in less than a week, as they are set to clash in the league on 14 February. Brighton will be looking to bounce back from their recent humiliating 7-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Premier League vs League One Challenges

Manchester City, last season’s FA Cup finalists, travel to League One’s Leyton Orient in what may not be a straightforward contest. Guardiola’s side have lost 11 of their past 22 games, including a 5-1 defeat to Arsenal, while Orient are in the third-tier playoff spots. The London side has endured a dramatic FA Cup run, winning two matches on penalties and another with a 99th-minute equaliser from goalkeeper Josh Keeley.

Guardiola may use this match to integrate new signings Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Omar Marmoush into the squad.

Newcastle, fresh from securing an EFL Cup final spot by beating Arsenal, continue their domestic cup ambitions against a formidable League One Birmingham side. Birmingham, top of the table and unbeaten in 16 matches, are on track for a Championship return.

Liverpool’s quadruple hopes remain intact after their EFL Cup semi-final triumph over Spurs. They visit Plymouth, who sit bottom of the Championship but have recently picked up points against Sunderland and West Brom. Arne Slot’s side remains unbeaten in 19 Premier League matches and will resume league action against Everton next Wednesday.

Other FA Cup Fixtures Involving Premier League Teams

Several Premier League clubs face tricky ties against Championship opposition:

• Ipswich, Southampton and Wolves take on Championship sides all aiming for promotion.
• Burnley, second in the Championship, boast an impressive defensive record, having conceded just nine goals in 31 games. They face Southampton.
• Blackburn, hosting Wolves, are pushing for a playoff spot.

Crystal Palace, led by Oliver Glasner, visit Doncaster Rovers, the only remaining League Two side. Doncaster sit second in their league and last faced Palace in the FA Cup in 2018/19, losing 2-0.

Exeter City take on Nottingham Forest, who are flying high in third place in the Premier League. The Grecians have not reached the FA Cup fourth round since 1937.

Meanwhile, Fulham, unbeaten in their last five FA Cup games against lower-league sides, travel to Wigan Athletic. Wigan, winners of the 2012/13 FA Cup, now languish in the lower half of League One.

Final Thoughts

The FA Cup fourth round promises high-stakes drama, with Premier League giants facing lower-league upstarts and key all-Premier League matchups set to test squads battling on multiple fronts. With no replays, teams must seize the moment to secure their place in the next round. Who will triumph and keep their FA Cup dreams alive? We’ll find out this weekend.